We are now past Step 1 of the Government’s 4-Step Roadmap out of lockdown with schools returning and 1:1 meet ups allowed in the open air for leisure as well as exercise. As heritage professionals and organisations prepare for the next steps, we will continue to update our Covid-19 Guidance Hub with relevant and helpful guidance.
We continue to liaise with liaise with DCMS and sector colleagues and feed through queries about the detail of the roadmap, alongside continued advocacy on the case for the earliest possible safe reopening of heritage sites and funding to see the sector through until it is fully functioning.
For now, it continues to be the case that before Step 3, indoor attractions at venues such as botanical gardens, heritage homes, zoos and other animal attractions and landmarks must remain closed (until at least 17 May). However, the outdoor elements of premises can open from Step 1 or 2 (depending on the type of attraction). Self-contained accommodation, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen from Step 2.
The latest guidance includes:
- COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 (and a helpful summary here)
- National lockdown: Stay at Home (updated)
- Kick Start Scheme (updated with more detail on how businesses can spend setup costs and employability support grant, and what happens if the young person has to temporarily stop the placement, or has to leave the job early)
- Business Innovation Support Package (updated to include further detail on business advisory support packages, which are still available)
- Recovery Loan Scheme (03/03)
- Levelling Up Fund: prospectus
- Community testing: a guide for local delivery (updated)
- Workplace testing: guidance for private-sector employers and third-party healthcare providers (updated), with supplementary guidance for testing asymptomatic employees here