SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS are to be reduced from two metres to one in a bid to save thousands of companies in Northern Ireland.

Restaurant owners and hoteliers preparing to reopen on 3 July said the reduction was Stormont’s most significant step yet to protect jobs.

The country’s rate of coronavirus spread remains below one and powersharing ministers are coaxing the economy out of a deep freeze.

First Minister Arlene Foster said: “A minimum one-metre distance between individuals can be considered acceptable in circumstances where appropriate mitigations are made.”

She said the relaxations had been made through the efforts of people to drive down the rate of infection.

Hospitality Ulster chief executive Colin Neill said: “This is the most significant news since the announcement we were closed at the beginning of this crisis.”

This makes the difference between a sustainable business and a business that would open and go broke or not open at all and it means we can save jobs.

Pub and restaurant owners have said they would be unviable if they had to adhere to two-metre social distancing to reduce the spread of disease.

Guidelines have been put in place to help outlets reopen safely.

Today Foster outlined a range of changes to the restrictions. They included:

• Places of worship can reopen from 29 June.
• Hotels and restaurants can reopen from 3 July.
• Visitor attractions barring museums and galleries can reopen from the same date.
• Nail parlours and beauty salons will wait until 6 July.
• Elite athletes will be able to use indoor training facilities from 29 June .
• Betting shops can reopen from 3 July.
• Tattoo shops and reflexology can open on 6 July.
• Playgrounds will be unlocked on 10 July and libraries from 16 July.
• Competitive sport begins on 17 July.
• Leisure centres can reopen on 7 August.

Foster said: “Northern Ireland is opening up again, however there is an onus on all of us not to ease the fight and vigilance against Covid-19.”