When do soft plays reopen in England?
10 May 2021, 11:21
Do soft play areas open today? Find out when indoor soft plays will reopen under the lockdown roadmap.
Indoor soft play areas are currently closed in England in line with lockdown restrictions.
In February of this year, Boris Johnson announced that lockdown will be eased in stages - the first and second began on March 8 and April 12 respectively, and the third and fourth are due on May 17 and June 21.
Read more: Full list of everything you can do on April 12 as hairdressers and non-essential shops reopen
Here's when soft play areas could reopen under the current plans.
When will soft play areas open in England?
Soft play areas are due to reopen on May 17 at the earliest.
In line with government guidance, businesses reopening during stage three “include indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas and children’s play areas; the rest of the accommodation sector, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs; and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes.”
When delivering his roadmap, Mr Johnson stressed that it will be driven by 'data not dates' - and will depend on the following four conditions being met:
- The vaccine deployment continuing successfully
- There is evidence that the vaccine is effective in reducing deaths
- There isn't a surge in hospitalisation
- Assessment of risks are not fundamentally changed by new variants of Covid that cause concern
It is expected that Boris Johnson will confirm that soft plays will reopen on May 17 at a press conference on 10 May.
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What else will be allowed from May 17?
The following will also likely be allowed from that date:
- Indoor hospitality, with no requirement for a substantial meal to be served alongside alcoholic drinks, and no curfew. The requirement to order, eat and drink while seated (‘table service’) will remain
- 30 person limit outdoors - rule of six will apply indoors (subject to conditions)
- International travel may be allowed (subject to conditions)
- Remaining outdoor entertainment, such as outdoor theatres and cinemas can open
- Indoor entertainment, such as museums, cinemas and children’s play area can open
- Remaining accommodation, such as hotels, hostels and B&Bs will be allowed to operate
- Adult indoor group sports and exercise classes
- Some large events, including conferences, theatre and concert performances and sports events
- Significant life events allowed up to 30 people
For more details on the third stage, visit gov.uk.
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