Further Details on Lockdown Roadmap for England

Last week, the Government published a roadmap for the easing of lockdown in England, which provides a four-step plan for gradually easing lockdown restrictions. The dates currently published for moving to each of the steps, and the related permitted activities relevant to musicians, are listed below.

Intended dates have been provided for moving from each of the four steps to the next, although they remain provisional as each step will be assessed against four tests before restrictions are eased.

Step 1A: 8 March 2021

• Schools and colleges: are open for all students. Practical Higher Education Courses.
• Studios: remain open for professional recording, rehearsal, broadcast and streamed performance where the venue is Covid-secure. Professional recording, rehearsing, broadcast and streamed performance can also take place in theatres, concert halls, and outdoors, provided this is done in line with Covid-secure guidance.
• Weddings, wedding receptions, funerals and wakes: Wedding and civil partnership services are only allowed in very limited circumstances. Only six guests are allowed at these services and at wakes. 30 guests are allowed at funerals. Musicians are not included in these guest limits. Wedding receptions are not permitted.
• Theatre and large-scale live performance: Theatres and concert halls are permitted to open for recording, broadcasting and live streaming without an audience, provided this is done in line with Covid-secure guidance.

Step 1B: 29 March 2021

• Wider private music tuition permitted outdoors in addition to indoor provision in specified circumstances.
• Weddings, wedding receptions, funerals and wakes: Weddings and civil partnership services will no longer be limited to special circumstances, but guest limits will remain. Only six guests are allowed at these services and at wakes. 30 guests are allowed at funerals. Musicians are not included in these guest limits. Wedding receptions are not permitted.

Step 2: No earlier than 12 April 2021

• All music education provision permitted.
• Drive-in cinema, theatre and other performance events permitted.
• Weddings, wedding receptions, funerals and wakes: Weddings and civil partnership receptions now permitted, and guest limits increased. Fifteen guests allowed at weddings, civil partnership services and respective receptions, and at Wakes. The guest limit for funeral services remains at thirty. Musicians are not included in these guest limits.
• Live event pilots scheduled to begin.

Step 3: No earlier than 17 May 2021

• Indoor live performance permitted with audience limitations (1,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
• Outdoor live performance permitted with audience limitations (4,000 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
• Large outdoor seated events permitted with audience limitations (10,000 people or 25% of venue capacity, whichever is lower).
• Life events: A wider range now permitted to include Bar Mitzvahs and Christenings. Guest limit for all life events set at thirty. Musicians are not included in these guest limits.
• Busking is now permitted.

Step 4: No earlier than 21 June 2021

• Life events: No limit on guests.
• Re-opening of all remaining businesses, including nightclubs.
• Relaxation of limits on live performance events, subject to success of previous steps.