OUTDOOR THEATRE, POOLS AND TATTOOISTS GIVEN GREEN LIGHT
LIVE theatre, music and dance will start again from this weekend – but only at outdoor venues such as the Minack Theatre in Cornwall.
Outdoor swimming pools will also begin reopening from
Saturday, with indoor pools, gyms and other sports facilities to follow on July 25, Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, has announced.
In the latest easing of lockdown restrictions, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has also published guidance to enable competitive grassroots team sports to resume, beginning with cricket this weekend.
Outdoor arts performances – including theatres, opera, dance and music – will also be able to resume from the weekend although audience numbers will be restricted and will be subject to social distancing rules.
In a Downing Street press conference, Mr Downden said: “As of this weekend artists, musicians and dancers can start performing live outdoors.
“Theatregoers can experience a live play for the first time in months at places like the stunning Minack Theatre in Cornwall.”
Mr Dowden said a change in planning rules will also mean theatres, concert halls and live music venues will be protected from demolition or change of use by developers.
“Our culture, heritage and arts are too precious to lose. That’s why we’re protecting venues like theatres from redevelopment if they fall on hard times,” he said in a statement.
“We are also giving further clarity on restart dates in our roadmap back to performance.
“From July 11 we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distancing and we are working hard to get indoor audiences back as soon as we safely can, following pilots.”
Mr Dowden said beauticians, tattooists and tanning salons can reopen from Monday in the latest easing of the lockdown.
He told the Downing Street press conference: “Having allowed hairdressers to reopen, beauticians, tattooists, spas, tanning salons and other close contact services can now do the same, I’m pleased to say, from Monday.
“Of course that will be subject to some restrictions on particularly high-risk services.”