FOLLOWING the joy of Monday’s relaxing of restrictions, many people have already marked the next date for further relaxing of rules in their calendars.

On Monday, non-essential retail has reopened, as well as hospitality businesses for outdoor service, outdoor leisure attractions, gyms, salons and barber shops, and campsites and self-contained holiday lets, after spending months closed.

The reopening of shops, pubs and restaurants was welcomed with open arms in Bradford yesterday, with large queues at shopping centres and cafes and beer gardens bustling with customers.

People are now looking forward to when the rules will next relax, which – if the Covid-19 figures continue to stay at a low level – will happen on Monday, May 17.

What rules will be relaxed on May 17?

In Stage 3 of the roadmap out of lockdown, further relaxations on rules will take place, including a return to indoor socialising and potentially even international travel.

This is what you will be able to do again on May 17:

  • Legal restrictions on meeting outdoors will be lifted, although meeting in groups of more than 30 will still be banned.
  • People will now be able to meet indoors in groups of no more than six people, or two households.
  • There will be an update on social distancing rules and if they need to stay before May 17, which could mean people will be able to hug their loved ones again.
  • Indoor hospitality can resume, but table service will still be in place but there will be no curfew or requirement for a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks.
  • Indoor entertainment venues can reopen such as cinemas and children’s play areas, and indoor adult group sport and exercise classes can return.
  • Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen again, increasing people’s options for staycations.
  • Crowds at sporting events and arts events are also set to return. At indoor venues, capacity can be 1,000 or 50 per cent capacity, whichever is lower, and at outdoor venues the limit will be 4,000 or 50 per cent capacity, again whichever is lower.
  • At the largest outdoor seated venues, where crowds can spread out, the limit will be 25 per cent capacity or 10,000 people, whichever is lower.
  • This means that before long, Bradford Bulls fans will be able to cheer on their team in person again, and arts fans will be able to return to the district’s theatres.
  • At weddings, receptions, funerals and wakes, the guest limit will rise to 30, as well as at other significant life events such as christenings or bar mitzvahs.
  • The Government is also setting up a ‘traffic light’ system for international travel, signalling the return of foreign holidays as early as May 17. Countries will be rated green, amber or red dependent on the Covid situation there, detailing requirements for travelling to and from those countries. A Covid-19 charter is also being created to detail what is required of passengers and their rights while measures remain in place.