Re-opening

Updates on re-opening plans from the sector. Many of these were shared with us by members of the network during our weekly update phone calls and we are grateful to everyone who has taken part in these and contributed time, knowledge and links with us.

Updated on 14th May 2020

The UK Government published a Plan to Rebuild document in May which lays out in detail their phased approach to re-opening and discusses which types of businesses may be able to re-open safely when.

Re-opening: What visitors think highlights two reports from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) with some key insights into how people are feeling about returning to attractions.

Here you can download a recent report from Visit Britain looking at international approaches to supporting the tourism sectors and to re-opening.

The IAAPA, The Global Association for the Attractions Industry have published re-opening guidance which you can read more about here or download the full report here.

Further additional reading which might be interesting to our members is this article about an anti-viral spray which can be used to treat frequently touched surfaces such as elevator buttons and handrails and this article about the re-opening of Disneyland in Shanghai on May 11th 2020.

Government announces roadmap taskforces

On 13th May 2020, new ministerial-led taskforces were announced to plan how closed sectors can reopen safely.

The announcement can be read below or you can view it on the government website.

Five new ministerial-led taskforces have been set up to develop plans for how and when closed sectors can reopen safely, following publication of the UK’s roadmap to rebuild Britain.

Businesses and shops in indoor environments or with closer contact between people, like pubs, hotels and non-essential retail, will likely have a higher risk of transmission, as is the case with many places of worship.

It is the Government’s ambition to open as many of these other businesses and public places as possible over the coming months, when the scientific advice provided allows us to.

Similarly, the Government recognises this has been a particularly challenging time for the international aviation industry.

These taskforces will be crucial to the reopening of Britain’s economy and each one will lead on developing new COVID-19 secure guidelines for the reopening of public places and businesses, where and when it is safe to do so.

The five new ministerial taskforces will look at the following sectors:

• pubs and restaurants (Department for Business, Energy and industrial Strategy)
• non-essential retail (including salons) (Department for Business, Energy and industrial Strategy)
• recreation and leisure, including tourism, culture and heritage, libraries, entertainment and sport (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
• places of worship (Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
• international aviation, reflecting the unique challenges that sector is facing (Department for Transport)

As part of this science-led approach, each taskforce will work across Government and engage with key stakeholders in public health, industry, trade unions and devolved administrations to:

• ensure that COVID-19 secure guidelines are developed in line with the phased approach and public health directions, building on the existing guidance and providing intelligence and sector-specific expert input
• agree and ensure alignment of all relevant sectoral guidance
• provide key sector stakeholders direct access to Ministers to shape the guidance

Read the full guidance on the establishment of the taskforces