Old Barn frustration as June 21 reopening put back four weeks

Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that the final step of the roadmap, when all social distancing rules are dropped, is being moved back from June 21 until July 19 due to surging Covid-19 cases caused by the Delta variant.

While the lifting of restrictions has been paused, changes have been made at weddings with the 30 guest limit lifted, however dancing indoors is still banned, social distancing stays in place and table service only.

Wedding venue The Old Barn at Esholt said while a lift on guest limits is "an improvement" they are still at half capacity.

The venue, which in 2019 was named Yorkshire’s best wedding venue by I Do Magazine, has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic over the last 15 months.

Assistant manager Dan Hibbert said: "The restrictions have been very damaging for us and while we are disappointed with the announcement we understand it's for the greater good.

"The removal of guest limits is an improvement but we still have to maintain social distancing and are at half-capacity which is half the income.

"We have eight weddings in the next four weeks; some have been moved four or five times and the couples just want to get married now even if it’s with less guests.

"July 19 has to be the end; if we don't come out of lockdown then when will we? The vaccination has been a success, deaths have come down, we need to put an end to it and get back to normality."

Cases of Covid-19 have rocketed in the past two weeks, fuelled by outbreaks of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Labour has blamed the Prime Minister for the surge in cases, accusing him of being too slow to act in adding India to the travel red list – where the Delta variant originated from.

It’s hoped in the next four weeks as much of the adult population as possible will be vaccinated give people as much protection against Covid-19 as possible before rules on social distancing are dropped.