Covid 19 - What you need to know - Test Events Planned for April

It has been reported in the press over the weekend, including by the Mirror, that test events are being planned for April for football matches, theatre performances, concerts and wedding receptions to trial the impacts of reopening of the economy.

Downing Street sources are reported as indicating that volunteers will be invited to attend experimental events, including conferences, sporting fixtures and nightclubs before the relaxations planned in May and June.

On the Andrew Marr show in Sunday morning, when pressed the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak insisted that despite good news around the vaccination program the scheduled reopening would not be accelerated and the dates given by the PM remain as ‘not before’ dates.

In another interview, Rishi Sunak hinted support schemes that have helped businesses and workers, such as furlough, during the pandemic will be extended in Wednesday’s Budget. This follows the unveiling of a £5bn grant scheme to help high street businesses, which includes grants for hospitality sites ranging between £8,000 and £18,000, depending on their rateable value. The new grants will see hospitality properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under given an £8,000 grant; properties with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000 will receive £12,000; while properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over will get £18,000.