After the Prime Ministers announcement on Monday 22nd February one or two things are for certain in England…..
The schools go back and non essential retail has a re-opening plan for the not too distant future.
We know there is also hope in Scotland too……
Wales and Ireland we continue to keep our fingers crossed for you and seek further updates for you too.
Not all ‘road maps’ are the same so we’ve listed the main points applying to florists for all 4 devolved governments at this time. We will of course keep you up to date as anything changes.
England
These Steps are all subject to targets being met so whilst planning can commence we will still need to await the ‘go ahead’ at each stage. For business all remains the same for now until 8th March.
STEP 1:
Step 2 – Will take place no earlier than 12 April, subject to an assessment of the data against the four tests. If Step 2 is delayed, subsequent steps will need to be pushed back in order to maintain the necessary five
week period to assess the impact of each step and provide notice.
Step 3– In all sectors, COVID-Secure guidance will remain in place and businesses may not cater for groups bigger than the legal limits.
Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals. This limit will also apply to other types of significant life events including bar mitzvahs and christenings.
Finally, before Step 4 begins, the government will complete a review of social distancing and other long-term measures that have been put in place to cut transmission. This will inform decisions on the timing and circumstances under which the rules on 1 metre plus, the wearing of face coverings and other measures may be lifted.
Step 4 – Which will take place no earlier than 21 June, the government hopes to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact.
To read the whole road map document CLICK HERE. Be warned it has 68 pages !
Providing targets are met we should be looking forward to weddings as normal from 21st June in England.
We very much appreciate that we are involved with ‘UK Wedding Task Force’ as well as ‘What about Weddings’ who continue to work very hard on behalf of all in the events industry through out the UK.
Northern Ireland
The current regulations are in place until 1 April 2021. They will be reviewed on 18 March 2021.
Only essential retail is permitted to remain open.
Click/phone and collect facilities will not be permitted for non-essential retail businesses, however delivery is allowed.
Here is the link to the financial support pages.
We hope to have good news for those in Northern Ireland very soon.
Wales
The only changes made on 20th Feb 2021 were minor and focussed on education and socialising. Businesses remain unchanged and still at alert level 4. A new Welsh update is due around 12th March.
Here is the link to the current restrictions
Here is the link to business support
Click and collect is still allowed following these pointers and making sure the 2M rule is in place.
- put in place picking-up and dropping-off collection points where possible, rather than passing goods hand-to-hand
- stagger collection times for customers collecting items
- design their click and collect system to avoid/ reduce shared contact surfaces
- continue to frequently clean any shared surfaces that are unavoidable and increase the use of hands-free technology to deliver their services
Deliveries also still allowed when ordered online or over the phone.
We hope to have good news for those in Wales very soon
Scotland
Lock down continues until at least the beginning of March (some islands still in Scotland Level 3)
Here is the link to the new strategic framework which has been released today ( February 23rd) with a road map based on targets and not specific dates. The road map has been outlined below but is subject to further announcements and it is likely that a tier framework will continue based on location and statistics.
The Plan with regards to easing restrictions states…
“Once the data indicate that it is safe to proceed further, we will also make a number of gradual easings within Level 4, for example, in relation to limited outdoor social contact, a limited return to places of worship and some limited elements of non-essential retail. Our next stage will be to start easing restrictions more generally and then to manage the epidemic going forwards through the application of levels on a geographical basis – local, national or regional (for example, across a group of Local Authorities) – as appropriate to the state of the epidemic. Our decisions will need to take into account prevalence and geography and be clear and comprehensible. They will also need to consider issues of enforceability and people’s travel patterns.”
Here is the link to Business support information
An extract taken from the strategic plan states…..
“There will be full rates relief for all retail, leisure and hospitality premises in 2020-21. We will continue to look at how best we can support businesses, informed by their feedback. On 16th February, we confirmed that retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation businesses will pay no rates during 2021-22 provided the Scottish Government receives the funding already assumed from the UK Budget on 3 March, and that requisite funds are available to maintain existing support into 2021-22 “
Another update in early March is expected to confirm any moves forward.
