July 4th 2020: Why it is called ‘Super Saturday’?
On Saturday 4 July, many businesses which have been closed during the coronavirus will be allowed to reopen in the United Kingdom as restrictions are lifted.
It’s been dubbed ‘Super Saturday’ by the UK media – tomorrow, Saturday 4 July, some businesses which have been closed during the coronavirus pandemic will be allowed to reopen in the United Kingdom as restrictions are lifted. The UK entered into lockdown on 23 March and now, according to some authorities, it is ready to emerge from a “national hibernation” and reopen in a bid to kickstart the services sector and boost the economy which has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
UK reopens to Super Saturday
Bars, pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, hotels, museums and cinemas which have been closed for the best part of four months will reopen albeit with changes focused on health and safety – the new normal will look very different to life before the Covid-19 crisis. All licensed premises must be fitted with perspex screens and provide hand sanitser. As for social distancing, the two-metre guideline has been reduced but customers are advised to keep a one-metre distance from others when socialising. There will also be other new features - table service, contactless payment...
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained: "Our advice to everybody is to respect the guidance, two metres, or one metre plus mitigations, wash your hands, use face coverings when you are in a confined place among people you don't normally meet. All those things are very, very important. And if we do that I think we will get through it."
Half of Britain's pubs will stay closed on Super Saturday
While pubs are able to open for business again, not all are planning to do so – around half have announced on their own social media sites that they will wait until they feel ready to welcome back customers.
It’s been called Super Saturday because by coincidence, the UK comes out of lockdown on 4 July - Independence Day in the United States and will be able to celebrate, at least in a way, some kind of return to freedom - freedom which the public has been deprived of since March. So this Super Saturday is the UK’s own Independence Day – but not for everyone. Residents in Leicester will have to wait – the city is back under lockdown following a huge surge in positive Covid-19 cases.
Other parts of the UK economy will also have to wait until the government give the green light to reopen - night clubs, gyms, swimming pools, beauty salons and spas will remain closed until it is deemed safe for them to reopen. UK PM Boris Johnson warned, "Enjoy summer safely but remember we are not out of the woods just yet".