Hospitality prepares to reopen indoors on the Yorkshire Coast

We've been finding out how a café in Whitby has prepared.

Author: Seb Cheer & Karen LiuPublished 17th May 2021

We've been finding out how a café in Whitby has prepared for the re-opening of indoor hospitality, as the Yorkshire Coast moves into stage 3 of the roadmap out of lockdown.

From today (17 May), cafés, restaurants and bars can serve customers inside.

Other changes to lockdown rules include face coverings no longer being required in secondary school classrooms, and groups of up to six meeting up indoors.

"The phone's never stopped!"

One business reopening on the Yorkshire Coast is Magpie Café in Whitby.

Co-owner Ian Robson said: "We've been doing take-aways, click and collect, cook at home meals. Basically we're just putting the restaurant back together now.

"It'll be more or less the same as it was before we shut down this time in January. Obviously we had the social distancing, screens, disinfectant fogging every morning, and lots of extra cleaning.

"It'll be very busy, we've had lots and lots of bookings! The phone's never stopped, and the online booking system crashed once!

"We're just really pleased to be getting back to this stage. Hopefully that will be the last lockdown, and things will eventually get back to normal."

What lockdown rules are easing today?

Here's a list of all the rules that are changing today (17 May), as part of the next stage of lockdown easing.

17th May: Indoor mixing

From 17th May, two households or groups of up to six people can mix indoors. People will be allowed to stay overnight with people out with their household or bubble.

17th May: Indoor hospitality

Indoor hospitality including pubs and restaurants can reopen from 17th May.

17th May: Cinemas reopen

Cinemas will also reopen from 17th May, along with indoor soft play areas for children.

17th May: Foreign travel

Foreign travel is permitted from 17th May.

17th May: Hugs are allowed

Boris Johnson has confirmed that we can hug our loved ones from 17th May, but experts have urged that the public should remain vigilant and think carefully about who we hug.

17th May: Indoor exercise classes

From 17th May, indoor sport and exercise classes can resume.

17th May: Museums reopen

Indoor entertainment can open from Monday, including museums.

17th May: Larger events

Some larger events including concerts, theatre performances and sporting events will be allowed to resume from Monday, but restrictions on the numbers of attendees will remain in place.

17th May: No masks in secondary schools

Pupils in secondary schools and colleges will not need to wear masks in classrooms or communal spaces from Monday.

17th May: Universities return to in-person teaching

All University students can return to in-person teaching from Monday.

17th May: 30 guests can attend weddings

Up to 30 guests can now attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events like wakes.

17th May: Care home visitors increase

Care home residents can have 5 named visitors from Monday. Two visitors will be able to visit at once provided they have tested negative. Care home residents will also be able to leave care homes without having isolate on return.

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