Betting shops to reopen on April 12 under roadmap out of lockdown plans

BETTING shops will be able to reopen from April 12 under Boris Johnson’s plans to ease the nation out of lockdown.

The Prime Minister revealed his roadmap out of lockdown today, with non-essential stores able to welcome customers back from mid-April.

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As betting shops fall under this category, it is understood they will reopen at this point alongside other non-essential shops such as clothes and homeware stores.

It comes as…

Reopening non-essential retail is the second step in the PM’s March to Freedom roadmap.

Mr Johnson said he hoped the roadmap was a “one way road to freedom” but the threat from covid remained “substantial”.

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Schools will be allowed to reopen first from March 8, and the rule of six will return to parks and private gardens – which means multiple households can mix outdoors.

The reopening of non-essential retail on April 12 follows this, and pubs and restaurants will be able to serve outdoors too.

Brits can also grab a haircut as this point as well.

The third step out of lockdown will see hospitality businesses reopen indoors from May 17.

Gyms, big events and sporting stadiums will be allowed to reopen too – although there will be a cap on numbers. 

A final push will see other restrictions lifted as Britain returns slowly back to normal, and nightclubs – which have closed through the whole course of the pandemic – are earmarked to open June 21.

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Revealing the plans to MPs today, the PM said: “Today the end really is in sight.

“A wretched year will soon give way to spring and summer that will be very different to today.”

However, Mr Johnson will reserve the right to slam the brakes on lifting lockdown if a new variant of the virus emerges.

There needs to be four tests the government needs to pass before restrictions can be eased.

These are:

• The roll-out of vaccinations continues successfully.
• Vaccines are shown to be “sufficiently effective” in reducing hospitalisations and deaths for those vaccinated.
• Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put “unsustainable pressure” on the NHS.
• New variants of coronavirus do not pose a risk to reopening the nation

Non-essential shops have remained closed under the third lockdown.

Only shops that are deemed essential by the government are allowed to open. 

This includes stores that sell important goods such as food, medicines and DIY equipment for home repairs.

Punters wanting to place bets will have to do so online via their favoured bookies’ websites.

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Full list of businesses that must stay closed until April 12

The PM last week told ministers there will be no backsliding on his goal of getting kids back to class from March 8 – despite a mutiny by Sage scientists.

Sir Jeremy Farrar said Covid infections must be cut from the current 750,000 to just 9,000 “before we can think about lifting restrictions”.

Meanwhile, Prof John Edmunds said opening schools could push the R rate above 1, and some restrictions will be needed until Christmas.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk