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Indoor pools and gyms are reopening in England from 25 July, for the first time since the beginning of lockdown.
Sports halls and leisure centres will also be opening.
How are indoor gyms and swimming pools going to open?
Gyms will have to follow strict social distancing guidelines, including:
- Capacity limits, controlled by a timed booking system
- Reduced class sizes
- Equipment spaced out and improved ventilation
- Temporary floor markings in dance studios where possible
- Customers encouraged to shower and change at home
Outdoor gyms and pools have been open in England since 4 July because there is less risk of catching coronavirus in the fresh air.
Swim England has published guidance for operators on how to reopen indoor pools, including:
- Increasing the supply of outside air to pools
- Implementing a one-way entry and exit system
- Minimising the use of changing rooms
Indoor gyms have reopened in Northern Ireland, but no reopening date for gyms has yet been set in Scotland or Wales.
The reopening of pools in Scotland will be considered after 31 July and will not happen in Northern Ireland before 7 August. No date has been agreed for Wales.
Which sports will I be able to watch and play?
Bowling alleys and indoor skating rinks will be able to open in England for the first time since lockdown was introduced, on 1 August.
Spectators will also be admitted to some sport events on a trial basis, including cricket, snooker and horse racing.
It is hoped this will lead to a wider return of fans to stadiums in October.
Can I now have my eyebrows done?
Beauty salons which allow treatments on the face - including eyelashes, eyebrows and threading - can start offering the services from 1 August, in England.
Nail bars, tanning salons and some beauty salons are already open.
Certain safety measures must be followed, including:
- Using screens to protect staff and customers
- Only accepting pre-booked appointments
- Avoiding skin-to-skin contact
- Customers must not eat or drink anything except water
In Northern Ireland and Scotland, nail bars and beauty salons have also reopened. They will be allowed to restart on 27 July in Wales.
Changes for weddings, casinos and live performances
Many other changes are being introduced on 1 August:
- Casinos can reopen
- Indoor performances in front of a live audience can start if pilot events are successful
- Wedding receptions of up to 30 people will be allowed
Can I now get a tattoo?
Tattoo artists can also now work again in England - following similar safety guidelines to nail bars and beauty salons.
They work in very close contact with their customers, often for a long time. Touching people is known to increase the risk of transmitting the virus.
The Tattoo and Piercing Industry Union submitted a 10-point plan for reopening studios to the government, which included:
- wearing masks, face shields, aprons and gloves
- keeping work stations 2m (6ft) apart
- considering relocating or deferring tattoos or piercings that require face-to-face working
Tattoo studios have been allowed to open in Northern Ireland since 6 July. They will open on 27 July in Wales. No date has yet been set in Scotland.
What else will now be allowed in England?
Outdoor arts performances in England have already resumed outdoors. Events must:
- Have a socially-distanced audience
- Reduce capacity
- Only accept pre-booked tickets
- Display clear social distance markings and be deep cleaned between performances
Recreational cricket has also now resumed. Grassroots football teams are allowed to resume competitive training and will be allowed to play competitive matches from August, with leagues allowed to resume in September. However:
- Time spent congregating at a venue should be limited
- Sports where a ball is touched by multiple players should have a plan for cleaning it when it goes out of play
- Spectators will be allowed in small numbers following social distancing guidelines
Conferences and other business events can resume from October, subject to pilot events.
What is still not allowed?
While there are dates for many businesses to reopen in England, it is still not clear when customers will be able to return to:
- Nightclubs
- Soft play areas