Full list of places face masks will be compulsory in England from 24 July

23 July 2020, 12:29 | Updated: 23 July 2020, 12:31

By Polly Foreman

Where are face masks compulsory in England? From Friday 24 July, you will need to wear coverings in shops - here's your need-to-know on the rules.

Face coverings will be compulsory in all shops in England from Friday of this week, with shoppers facing fines if they refuse to wear one.

From Friday 24 July, you will need to wear one in all supermarkets, retail businesses and takeaways, and you may be fined up to £100 if you refuse.

This comes weeks after they were made mandatory on public transport, a law that was introduced on 15 June.

Where are face masks compulsory from 24 July?

From Friday 24 July, you will need to wear a face mask in shops and supermarkets.

Announcing the news in the House of Commons earlier this month, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "In recent weeks, we have reopened retail and footfall is rising. We want to give people more confidence to shop safely, and enhance protections for those who work in shops.

"Both of these can be done by the use of face coverings. Sadly, sales assistants, cashiers and security guards have suffered disproportionately in this crisis.The death rate of sales and retail assistants is 75% higher among men, and 60% higher among women than in the general population.

"So as we restore shopping, so we must keep our shopkeepers safe.There is also evidence that face coverings increase confidence in people to shop."

Read more: England's top 10 coronavirus hotspots - including Rochdale, Blackburn and Bradford

Do you need to wear face masks in takeaways and sandwich shops?

It has been confirmed that you do need to wear face masks in takeaway food shops.

So, if you are visiting places like Pret and McDonalds, you will need to wear a covering. However, eateries with table service are said to not be covered by the rule - so you won't need to wear one if you're dining at a restaurant.

A government source told the Daily Telegraph: "You have to sit down straight away if you are going to eat in. If you can sit at a table, you don't need to wear a mask."

Matt Hancock also clarified the confusion over face masks in takeaways when questioned by a member of the public earlier this week.

He said: "You do need to wear a face mask in Pret because Pret is a shop.

"If there's table service, it is not necessary to have a mask. But in any shop, you do need a mask. So, if you're going up to the counter in Pret to buy takeaway that is a shop."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official spokesman later said: "We will be publishing the full guidance shortly but my understanding is that it wouldn't be mandatory if you went in, for example, to a sandwich shop in order to get a takeaway to wear a face covering."

List of places face masks are compulsory in England from Friday

From Friday 24 July, you will need to wear a face covering in the following places:

- Public transport (such as trains, buses, taxis and trams

- Shops (including food takeaways)

- Supermarkets

Some people are exempt from the rules on face masks, however - find out more information on exemptions here.

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