UK club-goers will have to wait longer before making their way to the dancefloor once again. England is delaying its June 21 full reopening date by four weeks. UGH!
The BBC has been told senior ministers have signed off on the decision to delay reopenings and the easing of social distancing. Therefore, capacity limits on clubs, bars, and events will likely remain until July.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the setback during a news conference on June 14th at 6 PM BST. The decision will be put to a Commons vote sometime this month.
The UK was set to reach the final stage of reopening on June 21 after months of lockdowns to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. With this announcement, various clubs and venues set plans to reopen on this date.
However, last week, there were reports England would delay the reopening. Calls to move the date have increased due to concerns about the Delta variant in the country. Therefore, pushing back the date can give residents more time to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Night Time Industries Association (NITA) commented on the impact the delay can make on the music sector. NITA CEO, Michael Kill states,
“Distressed industries cannot continue to be held in limbo, as businesses are left to fall, any decision to delay without clarity on when they can open will leave us no other option but to challenge the Government, standing alongside many other industries who have been locked down or restricted from opening for an extreme length of time, through no fault of their own, and at their own cost.”
The Music Venue Trust gave a similar waring about the delay’s potential effects on the nightlife industry.
