Coronavirus: Wales pubs, cafes and restaurants reopen for indoor service
The local lockdown also fully ends in Leicester, allowing hundreds of businesses to get back to work again.
Monday 3 August 2020 04:04, UK
Pubs, cafes and restaurants in Wales can now serve customers indoors, while groups of up to 30 people can now gather outside.
Children under 11 also no longer have to social distance.
The changes to the rules governing hospitality venues lag behind other UK nations because coronavirus restrictions are set individually by each country.
Measures such as table-only service and taking customers' details will be implemented
But the change does not give the green light for many friends to socialise together inside - people must only eat and drink with those they live with, or with members of their extended household.
Venues that don't take "all reasonable measures" could be forced to shut - and authorities will be mindful of clusters of cases linked to venues in other parts of the UK.
Nineteen people have now tested positive after an outbreak linked to a pub in Stone, Staffordshire. Council authorities say all those infected had visited the pub or met others who had.
Thirteen cases are also being linked to an Aberdeen pub.
Wales's new outdoor rules allow groups of up to 30 to meet from any number of households - many more than the six allowed in England. As ever, social distancing must be stuck to.
Wedding venues, bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls are also now allowed to reopen in the country.
The ditching of social distancing for under-11s follows scientific evidence that the risk of transmission is lower for that age group.
Pools, gyms and leisure centres in Wales are still on pause though and have another week to go before the can reopen.
In England, remaining restrictions in Leicester's local lockdown have also now been lifted to bring it in line with rules for the vast majority of the country.
Businesses such as restaurants, cafes, pubs, hotels, gyms and hairdressers can now open again.
Special measures were taken in the city after a spike in cases, but the situation continues to improve with infections per 100,000 people dropping from 66.2 to 52.6, and 187 new cases.
It comes as Greater Manchester authorities declared a major incident as infections rates in the region climb.
The announcement sets up a central command structure and allows access to extra national resources if necessary.
The rolling seven-day infection rate up to 30 July in Blackburn with Darwen is the highest in England at 79.9 per 100,000 people - and 119 new cases.
That's compared with 77.2 and 115 cases the week before.
Oldham is second - according to the figures compiled by the PA news agency - increasing to 62.8 and 148 new cases . Last week it was 41.6 and 98 cases.
The government is said to be considering "nuclear" options, such as telling over-50s to stay home, to prevent another nationwide lockdown if the wider country is hit by a second wave.
Other ideas - reported by the Sunday Times - include giving Londoners stay-at-home orders and restricting travel beyond the M25.