More pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to serve customers outdoors in plans announced by the government today (25 June 2020).

The government will simplify and reduce the costs of the licensing process for outdoor seating and stalls, making it easier for people to safely drink and dine outside. 

Proposed planning freedoms will mean that outdoor markets, pop-up car-boot sales or summer fairs will not need a planning application, which will transform the way people shop and socialise.  

Pubs and restaurants will be able to use car parks and terraces as dining and drinking areas, using their existing seating licenses.

Temporary changes to licensing laws will allow many more licensed premises, such as pubs and restaurants, to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises. Customers will be able to buy their drinks from a pub and consume them elsewhere, making social distancing easier.

These measures will give an immediate and much needed boost to many businesses, whilst supporting them to successfully reopen over the summer.  

This builds on support introduced in March allowing many food and drink business, including pubs, to offer a takeaway service. Additionally, these changes will support hospitality staff return to work safely, revive businesses and provide a real boost to high streets affected by the pandemic. 

This Bill is the next step to enable people to socialise this summer and enjoy the best of British hospitality in a COVID-secure way – helping businesses get back up and running and employees return to work.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:    

I know we all look forward to seeing our pubs, cafes and restaurants open their doors again and I’m determined to give them a helping hand to get back on their feet and their staff back to work safely.   

That’s why we are introducing changes to make it quicker, easier and cheaper for them to set up outdoor seating and street stalls to serve food and drink.

Business Secretary Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP said: 

Our pubs, restaurants and cafes are the lifeblood of high streets and town centres across the country and we are doing all we can to ensure they can bounce back as quickly and safely as possible.  

This week we gave our vital hospitality sector the green light to reopen from 4 July, and today we are introducing new legislation to enable businesses to make the most of the crucial summer months ahead.

Transport Secretary Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP said:   

These measures will help create new summer streets and summer squares, providing people with ways to enjoy our high streets and hospitality sector safely. 

Alongside our recently announced £2 billion investment in cycling and walking, this shows a clear focus from the government on using pavements and open spaces to make sure people can get out and about, helping people remain safe while getting back to normal life.

Changes for the hospitality industry introduced by the government will:   

• reduce the consultation period for applications for pavement licences to from 28 calendar days to 5 working days, and grant consent after 10 working days if the council does not issue a decision
• set a lower application fee for a pavement and street cafe licence of up to £100
• remove the need for a planning application for outdoor markets and marquees, meaning they can be set up for longer
• provide more freedoms for areas to hold car-boot sales and summer fairs

Councils will need to continue to ensure their communities are consulted on licensing applications, that waste is disposed of responsibly, and that access to pavements and pedestrianised areas is not compromised. 

Today’s announcement follows a new £50 million fund to support local high streets introduced last month and the government’s decision to extend the working hours of construction sites in order to get the country building again.

The Reopening High Streets Safely Fund will help councils in England introduce a range of safety measures in a move to kick-start local economies, get people back to work and customers back to the shops.

As we emerge from this pandemic, the government will do all it can to support our economic recovery, help businesses through the lockdown and get back to work safely. The Business and Planning Bill introduces a number of urgent measures to help businesses get back to work and succeed in these new and challenging circumstances, by removing short term obstacles that could get in their way.

The Bill will help businesses transition from immediate crisis response and lockdown, towards economic recovery. It will also help them implement new, safer ways of working to managing the ongoing risks from COVID-19 – in particular the need for social distancing. 

The alcohol provisions apply to England and Wales. Other measures apply to England only.

Off-sales, including home deliveries and takeaways, will be allowed in the hours that alcohol can already be sold for consumption on the premises. This automatic extension will eliminate the time and cost to businesses who may wish to apply for a variation of their licence. 

The new rules on selling alcohol for consumption off the premises do not apply to those who have had permission for this refused or taken away in the last 3 years.

Businesses should contact their local council to enquire about a licence for an outdoor stall. 

The government intends to introduce new laws giving people greater freedom over how they use their land by doubling the length of time that temporary structures can be placed on land without needing an application for planning permission.

For the current calendar year only, the time limits in the existing right for the temporary use of land will be doubled from 14 days to 28 days for holding a market or motor car and motorcycle racing, and from 28 days to 56 days for any other purpose. This makes it easier to host markets, stalls, marquees, car boot sales and summer fairs.  

The government is removing the requirement for councils to get planning permission to set up new markets, supporting a revival of markets and helping to transform the way people shop and socialise.  

The bill also seeks powers to enable DVSA to issue temporary MOT exemptions to certain Heavy Vehicles on the basis of road safety risk. This will ensure vehicles with the highest road safety risk will be tested first, once testing resumes, helping ensure we keep our roads as safe as possible while testing demand needs to be managed.

The government is making temporary provisions for bus and lorry drivers aged 45 and over to forego the need for a D4 medical in order to renew their driving entitlement. These changes are temporary and will only apply where the licence has not expired before 1 January 2020. This provision is already in place, and the legislation will retrospectively formalise the process.

The Bill includes provisions to allow the effective delivery of the Bounce Back Loans Scheme, which will allow it to operate effectively and for loans to quickly reach small businesses.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Portugal is helping at risk UK nationals and their family members to complete their residency applications in Portugal. Being legally resident is necessary for UK nationals living in Portugal to secure their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and EU.

The project is funded by the UK Government as part of the UK National Support Fund (UKNSF), that has made available a total of GBP 3 million for charities and organisations to provide practical support to UK nationals living in the EU. The project is coordinated by IOM UK and is being implemented in Portugal, France, Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Italy, and Germany.

Marta Bronzin, IOM Head of Office in Portugal, said:

We are very glad to be part of this project and be able to support UK nationals in Portugal to secure their rights and pursue their life projects in the country safely, reaching out to those most in need.

Working alongside the British Embassy and in partnership with the High Commissioner for Migrations (ACM), IOM will raise awareness among UK nationals living in Portugal, share accessible information on residency requirements, and provide direct practical support in completing applications for those in situations where access to information and application processes is difficult. IOM will also assist UK nationals who face specific challenges, such as people living with disabilities or chronic illness, those facing language and literacy barriers, or barriers in accessing relevant technology.

British Ambassador Chris Sainty welcomed this initiative:

Supporting UK nationals is one of our highest priorities at the British Embassy. We are delighted to support IOM with this project to help vulnerable UK nationals secure their rights so they can continue to live safely here in Portugal.

The project official launch will take place on 7 July at 5 pm, via Webex. If you would like to join, please register here.

For more information on the project, visit the IOM website or contact IOM at UKNationalsPT@iom.int.

It is the first catchment in the East Anglia area to move to this status, since being in drought recovery following the large amount of rainfall over the 2019 winter.

The drought team in East Anglia have been monitoring the situation and reviewing the range of dry weather indicators, including groundwater levels, river flows and soil conditions.

Following one of the driest springs on record, river flows and some groundwater levels are ‘below normal’ in locations along the rivers Cam and Ely Ouse. In addition, the soil condition means it is soaking up water faster.

Abstraction licence holders in the most affected areas are likely to receive notice to restrict the amount of water they take as described in their licence conditions.

This may include taking reduced quantities or only abstracting at particular times, depending on local circumstances.

Helen Smith, a drought manager for Environment Agency in East Anglia, said:

“We continue to monitor our key river, groundwater and reservoir sites using telemetry, in line with government guidance, and are liaising with water companies to understand any emerging concerns.

“We are also working with farmers, businesses and other abstractors to manage water availability and ensure that as far as possible they get the water they need to be resilient while maintaining our protection of the environment.

“We are closely monitoring the developing incident and produce regular reports on the water situation, available on www.gov.uk.

“We can all do our part to use water wisely and manage this precious resource. If you are using water in the garden, take some simple steps such as fitting a trigger to your hose or using a bucket to wash the car or water plants.

“While we ask people to use water wisely, they should follow current NHS advice on stopping the spread of coronavirus by washing hands with soap and water often.”

If people see any environmental impacts due to dry weather, such as fish in distress, please report it to the Environment Agency 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60.

For more water saving tips visit Waterwise.

• Guidance on heritage buildings and attractions will help get the nation’s much loved heritage sector back up and running

• Timed tickets, cashless payments and social distancing will be in use at attractions and museums


New guidance, published today, will outline how museums, galleries, heritage attractions and historic buildings can begin to reopen to the public, paving the way for an economic boost to the sectors.

Guidance for the heritage sector has been published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with Historic England and guidance for museums has been published by the National Museum Directors’ Council with DCMS support. Both will outline the processes and facilities that businesses and organisations must put in place before reopening so that staff and visitors can be kept safe.

The guidance is specifically for heritage attractions, those running businesses from historic and listed buildings, and those working to conserve and protect heritage assets.

The sector-specific guidance for museums and galleries enhances existing guidance, including advice for working in labs and research facilities, reopening gift shops and cafes and managing visitors.

Providing the conditions of the guidance are met, the wider sector is currently expected to open from 4 July 2020.

The guidance makes clear that the following measures should be considered to allow for safe reopening:

At museums: 

• Timed tickets may need to be pre-booked to reduce the number of people entering an exhibition or site at one time.
• Clearly communicated one way routes and spaced queuing systems may be introduced to manage the flow of visitors.

• Regular cleaning regimes should be intensified during the day and beyond opening hours.
• Access to audio guides may need to be reviewed, with museums considering new formats for the content such as apps that can be accessed on personal devices or quarantine periods for public handsets.

• Specialist training may need to be provided for roles impacted by the new guidance, for example Front of House staff managing new operating conditions or for roles where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

• Shops and cafes will need to reopen in line with guidance for food businesses and retail spaces and should encourage visitors to pay via contactless methods where possible.


At heritage sites:

• One way systems, clear floor markings and a queue management system should be in place where needed to maintain social distancing measures at all attractions and help to limit contact between both staff and visitors.
• Organisations will also encourage contactless payments throughout.
• Booking procedures should be reviewed and pre-booking could be introduced at heritage attractions to reduce the number of visitors in locations at the same time.


All sites will be instructed to produce risk assessments and review their cleaning regimes, however deep cleaning and social distancing systems, including floor markings are all required to be completed in a way that does not damage the historic fabric of the buildings. 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

Our museums, galleries and heritage attractions are world-class and this guidance will help get these sectors back up and running. It will not only pave the way for beloved institutions to welcome back visitors but also support important preservation to protect our historic buildings and ancient artefacts.

The reopening of these sectors will help to boost local economies all over the country and ensure our national heritage is safe and open for all.

National Museum Directors Council Chair Sir Ian Blatchford said:

We welcome the guidance from DCMS to allow for the safe reopening of our galleries to the public and the collaborative spirit in which the museum guidelines were developed, drawing on expertise from colleagues across our sector. All museums are keen to resume their vital role at the heart of communities but, as our guidelines recognise, the timing of re-opening will depend on local context, conversations with partners and a careful assessment of each museum’s ability to open its doors in a safe and financially sustainable manner.

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive, said:

This guidance aims to help businesses in the heritage sector get back up and running in a way that is safe for workers, volunteers and visitors. As is the case for many others, the heritage sector and people’s livelihoods have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We hope that this guidance will help businesses in the heritage sector find new ways of working during these difficult times.

This guidance will be for organisations in England. Organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should adhere to the advice of the devolved administrations at all times.

The guidance is part of the government’s clear, phased approach to recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, as outlined in the Prime Minister’s roadmap.

Read the guidance in full

Guidance for people who work or volunteer in heritage locations

NMDC Good Practice Guidelines on Opening Museums After July 4th