The news Scots have been waiting for

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has set out a proposed plan for easing lockdown restrictions (Picture: Maureen McLean/REX)

BREAKING NEWS People in Scotland will be able to sit inside pubs and restaurants, get their hair cut and go to non-essential shops from next month as coronavirus restrictions ease

Beer gardens and outdoor hospitality spaces are set to re-open on July 6 across the country, Nicola Sturgeon has announced. Setting out a roadmap for easing coronavirus restrictions today, the First Minister said pubs, restaurants and hairdressers would open indoors on July 15 if the infection rate was kept low. Non-essential shops within indoor shopping centres are to re-open from July 13 and households will be able to meet indoors with people from up to two other households from July 15.

Speaking to MSPs during First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said these are ‘indicative dates’ depending on a ‘continued suppression of the virus’. Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live She said she was happy to announce the ‘prize’ in getting ‘greater normality back in our lives’. Under new plans, the five-mile travel ban will be lifted on July 3, with self-contained accommodation such as caravans and lodges also allowed to re-open on this date. People will be able to meet more households at a two-metre distance outdoors on July 10, while organised sports for children will return on July 13, along with non-essential shops.

Cinemas, museums, libraries and all holiday accommodation is predicted to re-open on July 15, while nurseries will also resume business on the same day. Ms Sturgeon said ‘greater clarity’ on the easing of lockdown restrictions was now possible due to the ‘progress we have made’ – but added that ‘delivering on the milestones depends on that progress continuing’. She said: ‘We must keep working to drive it down further, towards the point of elimination – because that then gives us the best chance of keeping it under control through testing, surveillance, contact tracing and the application of targeted suppression measures when necessary. ‘The prize if we succeed is getting greater normality back in our lives, maybe more quickly than we would have envisaged a few weeks ago, and without reversals back into blanket lockdown.’

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Mark T Connor

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