Second lockdown: All the things you need to do before the UK shuts down again on Thursday

From getting a haircut to having one last drink at the pub, here are some of the things you should try and do before Thursday

More than seven months have passed since Boris Johnson first placed the nation into lockdown in March. 

But now, just as some normality was beginning to return (although some were still shielding and/or in local lockdown), the number of coronavirus cases has skyrocketed, prompting the prime minister to shut down the country once more. 

When the nation was plunged into lockdown on 23 March, the rules and restrictions came into effect almost immediately, leaving people with little time to prepare for what turned out to be several weeks stuck at home. 

But this time round the government has given people four days to get themselves organised. During a press conference on 31 October, Mr Johnson confirmed that the second lockdown would begin on 5 November and last “until the start of December”. 

While many of the rules are the same as the first stint, with pubs, non-essential shops and beauty salons being forced to close, there are some notable differences including the fact that schools will remain open. “We are not going back to the full-scale lockdown of March and April,” the prime minister said.  

If there is one thing the initial lockdown taught us (alongside how to expertly ration toilet paper) it is to be prepared for anything. So, with the benefit of hindsight, now is the time to reflect on the things we wish we had done first-time around. 

From getting a second wave-proof haircut to one last hoorah at the pub, here is your guide to all the things you should try and do before the four-week lockdown starts.

Book a beauty treatment

The initial lockdown certainly took its toll on our beauty routines. With nail salons and hairdressers forced to close until 4 July, people turned to DIY treatments as a way to take back control. From taming unruly brows to trimming fringes and performing at-home facials, no beauty service went untested.

However, not every attempt was successful and in June, the National Health and Beauty Federation (NHBF) strongly advised people not to undertake any treatments at home which are usually performed by a hair or beauty professional. 

To prevent a beauty disaster use the impending lockdown not only as an excuse to pamper yourself but to support a local business while you can by booking an appointment at your favourite salon for a Covid-proof hair cut that will see you through the next four weeks in style.

Sign up to a food delivery service

From the elusive hunt for a bag of self-raising flour to brawls over bog roll, the first lockdown saw many shoppers resort to panic buying and concerns have already been raised regarding larger-than-usual queues outside major supermarkets across England following Mr Johnson’s announcement. 

To avoid the rush and help ease the pressure on supermarket supply chains, why not sign up to a recipe box or food delivery service? From weekly to monthly subscriptions, they range from quick meals you simply need to reheat or ones you can cook from scratch, while ensuring food waste is kept to a minimum.

Worried you’ll run out of milk for your morning coffee? Sign up to a service like Milk & More, which will ensure British milk is delivered to your doorstep by a real milkman or woman in glass bottles that can be reused again and again.

Similarly, Who Gives a Crap is a great service for anyone that wants to avoid batting it out for the last packet of loo roll. You can make a one-time purchase or sign up for a subscription for deliveries every eight, 12 or 16 weeks. The best bit? The toilet paper is made from 100 per cent recycled paper and the company donates 50 per cent of its profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world.

You can read more about the best food delivery services here.

Visit the garden centre

November has always been a great time to get planting but, because of the hot weather we experienced this summer, green-fingered experts are saying the pay-off might be even better for 2020.

The good news is that, under the new lockdown rules garden centres are one of the shops permitted to remain open, so you can stock up on bulbs and spread out the planting throughout the next four weeks to help keep yourself entertained.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) November is a good time to plant tulip bulbs for a spring display next year, prepare winter bedding, sow broad beans and plant garlic cloves.

If you don’t have a garden, buy some houseplants to bring the outdoors in or try growing some herbs on your windowsill.

Sweat it out at the gym

Just like the first lockdown, the second will involve the closure of all indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, including gyms, sports halls, swimming pools, dance studios and climbing centres.

Pre-lockdown, many of us considered exercise an essential part of our daily routine, so when gyms were forced to shut due to the pandemic, it was a huge blow to both the fitness industry and those who rely on fitness keep their physical and mental health in check.

If you’re one of the people who  spent the first lockdown longing to get back to weight lifting or in-person yoga classes, then now is the time to pack your bag and put on your leggings  for one last session at the gym. 

Spend quality time with friends and family

Out of all the things you should do before a second lockdown occurs, seeing your loved ones is arguably the most important. 

If your tier allows, now is the time to meet up with friends and family for some quality time, whether that be for a drink at the pub garden or a walk in the park. 

Because the new rules will mean that, as of 5 November, there will be no mixing of people inside homes anywhere in the country, except for in cases where childcare and other forms of support are necessary.

But, if you can’t quite make it in time all is not lost because unlike the first lockdown, people will be permitted to exercise or visit outdoor public places with their support bubble or one person from another household.