The Five-Mile Rule Ends July 6
Yes, the FM has finally given us a date for coming out of lockdown. Despite the delayed release, totally out of step with the rest of the UK, we finally have a date.
July 6th!
Look out for event updates as we might just programme in some walks to celebrate. But whatever we think up the good news is that our walks programme, currently due to start on August 1st and delivering a minimum of two walks each and every weekend, with some midweek dates too, is GOOD TO GO!
Check out our calendar here - http://walesoutdoors.co.uk/events/
This is the piece announcing the news, first published in WalesOnline:
'Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed that the "stay local" five-mile rule will end on July 6.
He has been setting out the timetable for Wales as restrictions are lifted over the next three weeks.
For the last few weeks people in Wales have been asked to not travel more than five miles from home, but that is set to end in two weeks time.
Non-essential shops will also be able to re-open from Monday, but Mr Drakeford said that from July 6 there will be no restriction on travel in Wales.
The timetable will look like this:
Monday, June 22 - non-essential shops will re-open
Monday, June 29 - schools will re-open.
Monday, July 6 - the stay local five-mile rule will be lifted.
Speaking about the five-mile rule on BBC Radio Wales, he said: "We plan to lift those in two weeks time, so we are asking people to do one last lap of the stay local arrangements.
"We need these two weeks to bed down on the virus, and to allow those parts of the economy where people will travel to when they are able to do so, that those parts of the economy can prepare as well.
"That, if on the sixth of July we are able to confirm that the stay local message is over and people choose, as I am sure they will, to travel to those parts of Wales which are holiday destinations that those places now have two weeks to prepare for that. To put all those things in place.
"It is a sensible precaution measure."
Mr Drakeford said that while the stay local remains for two weeks, if you have a compassionate reason to visit someone beyond the local area that will be allowed but he was not lifting it now as "the virus is not at an end".76516486337
He also said he had also had lengthy discussions with tourism bosses on Thursday and that he had told them to prepare to open self-contained holiday accommodation during the month of July.
All non-essential shops will also be allowed to open their doors again in Wales from Monday, June 22.
Mr Drakeford is ready to announce during the Welsh Government briefing on Friday that shops can reopen providing they can "take all reasonable measures to comply with the physical distancing duty in Welsh law".'