The first steps to freedom from lockdown will prioritise reopening schools and reuniting families, Boris Johnson said last night.
In two weeks, on March 8, you will be able to meet one friend or family member in the park for a coffee or a picnic.
On the same date, all pupils will return to the classroom as part of the first of four steps towards getting the country back on its feet.
Unveiling his long-awaited roadmap today, the Prime Minister will announce that on March 29, outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed – enabling families and friend groups to meet properly for the first time in months.
That date will also see the reopening of tennis courts and golf courses and the return of grassroots football.
But in a blow to many families, they will not be allowed to take holidays over the Easter weekend. And shops, hairdressers and pubs are all likely to remain closed until mid-April at the earliest.
Business chiefs last night urged Mr Johnson to ‘be bold’.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said now was the time ‘to commit to reopening our pubs so that thousands of communities and businesses up and down the country can begin to emerge from this crisis’.
