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Holidays in England are officially allowed from July 4

The government has given hotels, self-catering cottages and campsites the okay to open for the summer

Ellie Walker-Arnott
Beach huts, England beach
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Beyond desperate to escape your flat right now? We hear you – and the good news is, so does Boris Johnson, who has just confirmed that overnight stays in England will officially be allowed from Saturday July 4. 

That means hotels, B&Bs, self-catering cottages, cabins, treehouses and campsites will all be allowed to open and host stays for the summer. 

‘Provided that no more than two households stay together people will be free to stay overnight in self-contained accommodation including hotels and bed and breakfasts, as well as campsites, as long as shared facilities are kept clean,’ said the PM in a statement, which marks the biggest shift back to normal life yet for people who like to travel.  

Since the start of lockdown in March, overnight stays in the UK have been banned. The official government line was that ‘essential travel does not include visits to second homes, campsites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People must remain in their primary residence.’ Day trips around England have been allowed since May 13. 

While the rules are changing in England on July 4, other parts of the UK are following a different timeline. Travel in Wales is expected to be allowed from July 6, while the hospitality industry is set to open back up in Scotland from July 15

Johnson also announced that England’s two-metre social-distancing rule is set to change on July 4. It will go down to one metre, which will help places like hotels reopen. 

Pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cinemas, museums and galleries in England are also set to reopen on July 4, with safety measures like avoiding face-to-face seating and having protective screens in place.

Now holidays, adventures and weekend breaks are back on the agenda, where will you go? It seems, according to Airbnb, people in the UK have already been dreaming of trips quite close to home. But we have some ideas to get you started. See you later, London. 

Ready to get out of town? Here are the best UK road trip, some amazing campervan-friendly campsites and these incredible secluded beaches in the UK

How about the best campsites in the UK

Oh, and 14 UK breaks we want to book as soon as we can

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