BBQs and garden parties set to be allowed from June

The country will be allowed to meet their friends and family again for garden parties and barbecues from the end of June.

According to reports, small social gatherings will be allowed to take place from the end of June, following the government’s lockdown relaxation plan.

Senior government insiders told HuffPost UK the relaxation of the rules, which might be announced as early as today, is ‘part of Boris Johnson’s determination to give the UK something to look forward to as the threat of Covid-19 reduces’.

The relaxation plans will also pave the way for millions of people to head back to work as part of his plan in ‘rebuilding our country’. 

Non-essential shops such as clothes, department and independent retailers will also be free of the lockdown that has been in place since March 23rd. 

Mr Johnson said people should “get out and enjoy themselves in the open air from June 1st” if they can.

The new proposals will see people being able to mix within social bubbles of up to 10 people outdoors. The Government’s 50-page roadmap suggests people can designate another household to socialise with.

The document reads: “The intention of this change would be to allow those who are isolated some more social contact, and to reduce the most harmful effects of the current social restrictions, while continuing to limit the risk of chains of transmission.”

Latest figures show that 261,184 people in the UK have tested positive for Covid-19 and 36,914 have died. 

Mr Johnson said at the Downing Street press conference yesterday: “We are making good progress, but that progress is conditional, provisional.” and that “we must keep reducing the incidence of this disease.”

The Prime Minister added: “I want to give the retail sector notice of our intentions to reopen shops, so they too can get ready.

“So I can announce that it is our intention to allow outdoor markets to reopen from June 1st, subject to all premises being made Covid-secure, as well as car showrooms, which often have significant outdoor space and where it is generally easier to apply social distancing.

“We know that the transmission of the virus is lower outdoors and that it is easier to follow Covid-secure guidelines in open spaces.

“That means we can also allow outdoor markets to reopen in a safe way that does not risk causing a second wave of the virus.”

Roadmap out of the lockdown:

• Markets and car showrooms will be back open June 1st 
• Other non-essential shops will reopen from June 15th
• Brits can see groups of up to 10 friends in social bubbles from end of June
• Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 will return to school by June 1