The long awaited roadmap was announced on Monday, giving us hope for the future.

This is great news for Spice and the events we can offer our members. As we reach each stage, we will be able to offer more events types, which we will plan now so please look at our website regularly.

Summary…

From 29 March
People will no longer be legally required to stay at home, but some restrictions will remain such as continuing to work from home where possible and minimising all travel. The rule of six will return for outdoors, and meetings of two households will also be permitted. This includes in private gardens. 
Outdoor sports and leisure facilities will be able to reopen and formally organised outdoor sports will be able to resume, subject to guidance.

This means SPICE will be able to re-start walks and other outdoor events such as Treasure Hunts. Motorised activities etc

From 12 April (at the earliest and subject to an assessment of the data against the four tests)
Outdoor gatherings must still be limited to 6 people or 2 households as in Step 1, and no indoor mixing will be allowed unless otherwise exempt. Additional premises will be able to reopen but should only be visited alone or with household groups:

• Non-essential retail
• Personal care premises such as hairdressers, salons and close contact services
• Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms and spas (but not including saunas and steam rooms, which are due to open at Step 3).
• Public buildings such as libraries and community centres
• Hospitality venues for outdoor service, without any curfew or the requirement for alcohol to be accompanied by a substantial meal - customers must order, eat and drink while seated.
• Most outdoor settings and attractions including outdoor hospitality, zoos, theme parks, drive-in cinemas/performances/events will reopen.

The only additional activities for SPICE will be outdoor meals & drinks but limited to 6

From 17 May (at the earliest and at least five weeks after Step 2)
Most legal restrictions on meeting others outdoors will be lifted, but gatherings of more than 30 people outdoors will remain illegal. Indoors, people will be able to meet socially in a group of 6, or with 1 other household. COVID-Secure guidance will remain in place and premises must not cater for groups larger than the legal limits.

Sectors which will reopen include:

• Indoor hospitality, with no requirement for a substantial meal to be served alongside alcoholic drinks, and no curfew. The requirement to order, eat and drink while seated (‘table service’) will remain.
• Remaining outdoor entertainment, such as outdoor theatres and cinemas.
• Indoor entertainment, such as museums, cinemas and children’s play areas.
• Remaining accommodation, such as hotels, hostels and B&Bs.
• Adult indoor group sports and exercise classes.

This means SPICE will be able to offer meals in small groups, quizzes in small teams, badminton and many other events with smaller numbers.

From 21 June - now 19th July (at the earliest, and at least five weeks after Step 3)
With appropriate mitigations in place, by Step 4, the Government aims to remove all legal limits on social contact, reopen the remaining closed settings, including nightclubs and enable large events, including theatre performances, above the Step 3 capacity restrictions (subject to the outcome of the scientific Events Research Programme) and remove all limits on weddings and other life events, subject to the outcome of the scientific Events Research Programme.

Hopefully we will be back to normal from then.