By Emma Dodd
It’s the announcement we’ve all been waiting for from prime minister Boris Johnson, who yesterday (February 22nd) announced that caravan sites could reopen in England from April 12th.
Self-contained holiday accommodation falls under the second phase of lockdown lifting, with single households permitted to stay overnight in a caravan or motorhome with its own cooking and washing facilities.
The roadmap suggested that by June 21st, group holidays will be allowed, so you should be able to head off to your favourite campsite in a convoy with other households.
Four tests have been announced, which will be used to identify whether it’s safe for England to move on to the next stage of unlocking at each step of the way.
They are:
- The vaccination rollout continues successfully
- Jabs are reducing hospital admissions and deaths
- Infection rates are not threatening an increase in hospitalisations
- New variants of the virus haven’t changed the government’s assessment of the risks
Campsites, caravan sites and holiday parks have been closed since January 4th, when a lockdown was announced to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Since then, there has been much speculation about when staycations will be able to resume and many Brits have provisionally booked holidays in the UK to increase the chances of getting a break this year.
Demand is expected to be high for holidays at home this year, but it’s important that anyone securing a pitch at a caravan park checks the cancellation policy in case things change once again.
Among the destinations that are already experiencing a surge in bookings in the wake of the announcement is Cornwall.
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon is due to announce more details about lifting restrictions north of the border when she holds a briefing later today.
It’s not yet clear what the Welsh government’s roadmap for easing restrictions will look like, as it is being cautious and does not want to raise hopes too soon only for them to be dashed.
Image credit: iStock/DEBOVE SOPHIE
