Today the Government published The UK COVID-19 Recovery Strategy - an extensive document outlining, in far more detail, their plan to rebuild the UK Economy. It is worth taking the time to go through the full strategy (link below) but in the meantime we wanted to give our members a summary of the points that we believe will most impact your business.
Government have now confirmed that for the time being, certain businesses and venues are required by law to stay closed to the public.
The full list can be found here but this does include: hair, beauty and nail businesses.
Important notice from Government: A business or venue operating in contravention of the law will be committing an offence. Local authorities (for example, Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers) will monitor compliance, with support from the police if appropriate. Businesses and venues that breach the law will be subject to prohibition notices and fixed penalty notices. Businesses that continue to contravene the law will be forced to close down.
Important notice re insurance: If you opened before Government confirm you may this could be deemed as a breach of policy conditions.
Opening Plans for Businesses thereafter
- Some non essential retail may open on the 1st June - subject to those retailers being able to follow the government's new COVID-19 Secure Guidelines
- HOWEVER hospitality, personal care (which includes beauty, nail & hair), certain public places & leisure facilities will not be able to, give the higher risk of transmission. These will only be able to open by the 4th July at the earliest.
- This will also be subject to the five tests (launched justifying some or all of the measures and further detailed scientific advice, provided closer to the time, on how far we can go.
In order to facilitate the fastest possible re-opening of these types of higher-risk businesses and public places, the Government will carefully phase and pilot re-openings to test their ability to adopt the new COVID-19 Secure guidelines. The Government will also monitor carefully the effects of reopening other similar establishments elsewhere in the world, as this happens.
The Government will establish a series of taskforces to work closely with stakeholders in these sectors to develop ways in which they can make these businesses and public places COVID-19 Secure and BABTAC, who have already provided information and advice to government will ensuring we remain as are involved with that process as possible.
We are acutely aware of the additional financial burden placed on our Sector and the potentially devastating effects it could have, especially if government do not extend financial help further for those businesses required to remain closed longer, so will continue to highlight this during our recommendations to government.