Outdoor hospitality to reopen in Wales from Monday

People will also be able to meet in groups of up to six people from any number of households

Pubs, restaurants, cafes and other hospitality businesses may resume outdoor service from Monday 26 April (AFP via Getty Images)

People from different households will be able to meet in groups of six outdoors in Wales from Saturday and outdoor hospitality will reopen from the following Monday, the country’s First Minister has said.

Mark Drakeford said that although case numbers of Covid infections were continuing to drop, people still need to make sure that they socially distance from those of other households or support bubbles.

Currently, up to six people (not including children under the age of 11) may meet up outside. However, these six may be from up to two different households. This will change from Saturday when any six people will be allowed to meet outdoors, in private gardens and outdoors at hospitality venues, as well as in public spaces.

Meanwhile, from Monday 26 April, pubs, restaurants, cafes and other hospitality businesses will be allowed to resume outdoor service once again.

On Monday, Mr Drakeford praised the country’s vaccination programme saying that it “continues to go from strength to strength.”

In total, 1,692,463 first doses of the Covid vaccine have now been administered in Wales, with 602,807 second doses also given.

Wales’ First Minister went on to add: “Because meeting outdoors continues to be lower risk than meeting indoors, we are able to bring forward changes to allow any six people to meet outdoors.”

Mr Drakeford also explained the “significant positive impact” that being able to meet up with others in groups could have.

He said: “This will provide more opportunities for people, especially young people, to meet outdoors with their friends. This will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on people’s wellbeing.”

Mr Drakeford is expected to use a press conference on Friday to confirm further relaxations to current Covid-19 restrictions that are set to come into force from Monday April 26.

Speaking about the proposed reopening of outdoor hospitality venues, Mr Drakeford said: “These changes will help the hospitality sector recover after a difficult 12 months.”

This is the second time that the Welsh government has changed lockdownplans in the midst of the Senedd election campaign with the Welsh Conservatives accusing Labour of “playing politics.”

Meanwhile, Mr Drakeford has also hinted that the Welsh government may consider reopening indoor hospitality and visitor accommodation by the end of next month, before the late May bank holiday.

Covid case rates in Wales have been the lowest of the UK nations since the end of January. The rate currently stands at 15.9 coronavirus cases per 100,000.

Public Health Wales said on Monday there were a further 102 cases of Covid in Wales. This took the total number of confirmed cases up to 210,925.

The agency reported another two deaths, which takes the total in the country since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,540.

These figures reflect the 48-hour period leading up to 9am on Sunday as data is not currently being published on a Saturday.