• July 10, 2020

Indoor pools, gyms and other sports facilities to open from July 25

LONDON July 10: People in England are now given the green light to return to fitness and personal grooming appointments as ministers announced that nail bars and gyms will reopen this month.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden set out the latest easing of lockdown rules as he said people can head back to the gym from July 25.

Meanwhile, tanning salons, tattoo parlours and other so-called ‘close contact services’ will be allowed to welcome back customers from Monday.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Dowden said outdoor swimming pools can reopen on Saturday as he 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 Saturday although audience numbers will be restricted and will be subject to social distancing rules.

A pilot programme will be launched to figure out how to return to socially distanced indoor performances ‘as soon as possible’, Mr Dowden said.

Planning rules will be changed so that theatres, concert halls and live music venues will be protected from demolition, stopping those that have been made temporarily vacant during lockdown from disappearing altogether.

Mr Dowden said ‘normal life is slowly returning’, telling the 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.