Cinemas, museums, galleries and campsites set to open this month

The First Minister has given some more information this morning on the lockdown measures which will be eased over the next few weeks.

Mark Drakeford will announce today a three-week package of measures to further lift Wales’ coronavirus restrictions.

Ahead of the 12.30 pm press conference, Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio Wales that cinemas, museums, galleries and campsites will be reopening later this month.  

He said: “What I’ll be doing today is reporting, as I do to people in Wales about the state of coronavirus.

The virus has not gone away we are still in a public health emergency, but the key indicators continue to go in the right direction.

Fewer daily infections are being reported, fewer people in critical care beds, fewer deaths day by day in Wales, and that creates some headroom for us to go on easing the lockdown.”

The First Minister said: “Week by week we will take action to restore freedoms to people, to allow things to resume.

So from Saturday self-contained accommodation in the tourism industry will reopen.

On Monday, the vast majority of indoor attractions will be able to reopen, so a major boost for the tourism industry.”

Also on Monday, “bars pubs cafes and restaurants will be able to reopen in the outdoors and that’s the first time since lockdown so a step ahead there for the hospitality industry hairdressers and barbers will be able to reopen from Monday of next week.” He said.

Mr Drakford said: “In the middle week, then local authorities who are keen to be able to provide facilities for children during the school holidays will be able to reopen outdoor playgrounds and community centres.”

In the third week, “campsites from the 25th of July, will be able to reopen provided everything is properly in place to make sure that shared facilities are looked after, cinemas, museums and galleries will be able to reopen in the third week.

Other close contact services, beauty salons tattoo shops nail bars and so on, they will be able to reopen in the third week of this cycle.”

He also told BBC Radio Wales that from July 27 prospective house buyers will be able to look around properties which are currently occupied. 

The First Minister added: “So there’s a lot that we are going to be able to do, but we do it in that step by step, careful way. Always with the health of the public as the main lens through which we look at everything.”

You can watch the first minister’s announcement at 12:30pm on the Welsh Government Facebook or Twitter pages.