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Shops to re-open before pubs?
February 13, 2021
The prime minster says that because "huge progress" had been made on the vaccine roll-out he was cautiously optimistic that non-essential retail would be able to open after the schools go back from March 8.
Mr Johnson implied the shops might open significantly before pubs and restaurants when he spoke on a visit to Teesside on Saturday,
"On the 22 February I will be setting out more of the road map about the way forward, starting with schools we very much hope on March 8, that's got to be the priority," he said, "but then working forwards to getting non-essential retail open as well, and then, in due course, as when we can, prudently and cautiously, of course we want to be opening hospitality as well."
But he warned: "I will be trying to set out as much as I possibly can in as much detail as I can [on February 22] always understanding that we have to be wary of the pattern of disease. We don't want to be forced into any kind of retreat."
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added to the anticipation in an interview with Sky News on Sunday when he lumped shops alongside schools: “We do need to be very careful how we proceed. We have made good progress. We don’t want to see that unravel because we go too far too quick. We’ve just talked about the way we’re going to do it, starting with schools and non-essential retail."
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