Prime Minister Boris Johnson has rolled out a four-step exit from lockdown.
Under step 4, projected to start from June 21, ‘we will reopen everything up to and including nightclubs.’
Step 3 provides for some indoor events with up to 1,000 participants.
Details here.
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No, concerts can resume on 17 May, just with limited numbers. Read the press release
Norman uses the word resume – read his header! Splitting hairs is tedious. At the moment there aren’t any concerts open to the public. And there is more to the music life in England than what goes on in London – that was able to function under Tier 2 regulations until 16 December. In Manchester and Leeds we are delighted since we have had nothing for a year. So however many will allowed and it is financially viable, will be very welcomed to seethe Halle and Opera North. People now have to do what the government ask, follow the plan, so we could even have the Proms live this year and a lot of other things that others like, such as Wimbledon. But that’s now up to people now and not refuse the vaccination.
“And there is more to the music life in England than what goes on in London”
Where does it say otherwise?
For God’s sake.
Maria has got the wrong end of the stick.
In a democracy, the government’s remit is to serve the people. If the people no longer want lockdowns, then there should no longer be lockdowns. The government has no right to deprive us of our liberties so indiscriminately and for so long, and then have the temerity to dictate the terms on which they will be restored.
I am horrified by the uncritical acceptance of the “naughty child” paradigm framed around “do what we say, otherwise we will, regrettably, have to deprive you of your liberties for even longer”. We are adults. We should not have to beg our elected government to be allowed to have “the Proms live this year and a lot of other things that others like, such as Wimbledon”. It is indeed “up to people now”, but not in the sense Maria suggests. It is “up to people” to reclaim our liberties, and vote for politicians who will defend them (and legislate to ensure that the NHS has sufficient “surge capacity” to cope with a pandemic, such that no serious scientist would ever again countenance recommending a lockdown of an entire population), rather than hoodwink the public with ever changing goalposts (“3 weeks to protect the NHS”, “stop hospitals from being overrun”, “flatten the curve”, “keep cases down”, “keep the vulnerable safe until they are vaccinated”, “prevent variants from proliferating”…).
Many of us are fed up of these disproportionate and protracted lockdowns, which are causing incalculably more harm than they are allegedly preventing. They must end immediately (whilst we cannot be certain about precisely how dangerous COVID-19 is at a given, we *can* be certain that the damage caused by protracted lockdowns is *far* more dangerous), and be replaced with a comprehensive programme of financial and practical support to enable those who are diagnosed as particularly vulnerable to continue shielding (should they wish).
It makes me shudder with fear. I have never been more scared. OMG Boris, he best get it right!
Does this mean that Opera Rara’s concert performance of Donizetti’s ‘Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo’ on July 8th can now go ahead? I hope so……………..
Interestingly, I received a cancellation notice from Opera Rara just a couple of days ago saying that The Barbican had cancelled its early July concert of Donizetti’s “Il Furioso”! Hmmm……timing?
Ditto. I hope it can be re-instated given that Opera Rara are going ahead with the recording in London around the same time in July.
This relates to England only, not the UK
I don’t believe a single word that Johnson says, he has been a profligate liar for years, oh and I can remember that he said we would have a normal Christmas too, he hasn’t a clue about how the pandemic and how its going to go.
Really , Gregor Tassie ? And you, of course, do have a clue??
That’s hardly the point, Christopher. In reality, nobody has a clue. Though everyone hopes for the best, the past year should have taught us all to expect (and prepare for) the unexpected.
It’s nice to feel optimistic about the future for once, but I do think Johnson could have managed expectations more cautiously.
“managed expectations” — for goodness sake, the UK is supposed to be a democracy, not a police state ruled by prophecies from the oracle of Imperial College.
It’s the precisely fact that we *don’t* have a perfect ‘oracle’ which means expectations ought to be managed carefully and respectfully – in order to avoid the kind of debacle we had around Christmas.