Beauty salons will reopen next week - with gyms and indoor pools following suit on 25 July

Indoor swimming pools will be allowed to reopen later this month. (Credit: Shutterstock)
Indoor swimming pools will be allowed to reopen later this month. (Credit: Shutterstock)
Indoor swimming pools will be allowed to reopen later this month. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Beauty salons, tanning shops and tattooists are set to reopen in England from next week (13 July), as part of the government's further easing of lockdown restrictions.

Additionally, outdoor swimming pools, indoor gyms and swimming pools, dance studios and sports like badminton and volleyball will also be allowed to reopen and restart later this month.

When can outdoor swimming pools open?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

From Saturday 11 July, outdoor swimming pools are allowed to reopen.

What date are indoor gyms and pools reopening?

Indoor gyms and indoor leisure centres have been closed since Saturday 21 March, when the UK government began a nationwide lockdown at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

However gyms, indoor swimming pools, dance studios and sports like badminton and volleyball will now be allowed to reopen and restart later this month, on 25 July.

Outdoor gyms are already open, after they were granted permits to welcome back customers from 4 July, subject to social distancing.

When are beauty salons reopening?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Beauty salons, spas, tattoo parlours, tanning salons are all set to reopen on Monday 13 July.

Nail bars, which are considered to be one the "most risky" businesses to reopen by the UK government due to it being a "close contact service" will also reopen from this date.

However, beauty salons are not yet permitted to perform the services requiring the closest level of contact, such as moustache shaping or eyebrow waxing.

What other lockdown restrictions are set to be lifted this month?

Outdoor performances in open air theatres, including opera, dance and music, are set to restart from this weekend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However to keep to social distancing rules, audience numbers will be restricted.

Club cricket will also make a return from Saturday 11 July.

What safety measures are being introduced?

Indoor gyms and pools will encourage customers to shower and change at home where possible, however changing rooms will be open.

They are also required to have capacity limits in place, controlled by a staggered booking system, alongside spaced out equipment and improved ventilation, and temporary floor markings in dance studios.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told a Downing Street news conference that face coverings would not be required in gyms.

"We have not taken a decision to require the wearing of face masks in respect of gyms," he said.

Safety precautions in place as club cricket resumes this Saturday, include a limit on the number of spectators.

Meanwhile clubhouse bars will be able to open so long as social distancing rules are adhered to.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Social distancing guidance has been published to allow competitive grassroots team sports to restart safely.

Supporters of outdoor sports such as cricket will be allowed to attend together in small numbers so long as there are no more than two households attending together, and no more than six people from different households mixing.

Other households will have to socially distance by keeping up to a metre apart.

‘Work out to help out’

At the Downing Street briefing, Mr Dowden announced a new slogan, encouraging the public to stay healthy while aiding the economy, by urging people to "work out to help out".

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added, "I'm really urging people to get out there and to play their part - buy the tickets for outdoor plays and musical recitals, get to your local gallery and support your local businesses.

"Our fight began with a collective effort and I really hope it will end with one.

"At the beginning we all stayed at home to protect the NHS and save lives, now the British public has a new part to play. It's time to eat out to help out, to enjoy the arts to help out and to work out to help out.

"It's over to all of you to help the country recover safely."