With the announcement of freedom day being pushed pack for another four weeks, several changes will be affecting, not only the general public as a whole, but businesses from several already-compromised industries.
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Although Boris Johnson said there was a slight chance that restrictions would be eased off two weeks earlier—from July 19 to July 5—it is rather unlikely in light of the rampant spread of the Delta variant in several parts of the UK.
Freedom day, as a result, will be bringing further challenges to the service and travel industries primarily, while wakes, christenings, weddings and care homes will be seeing somewhat of a progress.
A massive blow to the service and tourism industries
Essentially, everything that was originally promised for these two specific industries will not be taking place. In other words, travelling will remain highly restricted—what with a traffic light system dictating which destinations will be permitted to travel to quarantine-free.
Nightclubs will remain closed until at least July 19 and pubs and restaurants will not be able to accommodate more than six people indoors or two households in one single table.
For nightclub owners specifically (as they have never been able to open since the beginning of the pandemic) the end is terrifyingly near. David Whittal, owner of a nightclub that doubles as a live music venue called Suki10c in Digbeth, Birmingham, explains that:
The sold-out events that we had booked in - that's what was going to get us through because we would have made revenue, we would have had profit, we would have been able to pay our bills. Now we don't have anything. If we don't get financial support, I don't want to think about what the alternative is.
Some restrictions have been lifted
On the other hand, others areas will be able to partake in social activities that require less social distancing to be maintained. For example, outdoor weddings with larger gatherings upwards of 30 people, without the need of wearing a face covering, will be allowed.
Wakes will no longer have a cap on the amount of people that can gather at once but must, however, follow safety measures when congregating indoors.
