From today (1 June 2020), the UK government is relaxing the COVID-19 lockdown rules and allowing people in England to meet outdoors in groups of 6 or less.
It doesn't matter where you and your friends meet as long as it's outdoors, so if you don't want to go to the park, you may invite people to gather in your back garden.
IMPORTANT: When spending time with people from other households, be sure to follow social distancing guidelines and stay at least 2 metres from anyone you don't live with.
Key things to remember:
- No more than 6 people per gathering
- Only meet outdoors - the virus can survive for longer on indoor surfaces
- Stay at least 2 metres from anyone who doesn't share your home
- Do not share food / drink with other households
- Go home at the end of the day - don't stay at someone else's home overnight
- Wash your hands as soon as you get home
Please note that the above only applies to England. Other parts of the UK still have stricter rules in place, so check your local guidance - for example, people in Wales can only meet ONE other household (outdoors and with social distancing) and must stay local so as to avoid spreading the coronavirus to other areas.
What you're allowed to do in your garden
If you live in England, here's what you're allowed to do from today:
- Meet up with friends and family members. Stay outdoors and keep a distance of at least 2 metres between yourself and people from other households.
- Have a picnic or a BBQ. Do not handle other people's food or share food / drink with other households. If you're attending a picnic or barbecue, you should take your own plates and cutlery instead of handling items from other people's homes.
- Play sports that allow for social distancing. Contact sports like rugby are obviously not permissible, but as long as you can easily remain 2 metres from any players who don't share your home, you can go ahead. Do not handle sporting equipment that belongs to other households.
- Help friends and family members with the gardening. Again, be sure to maintain a 2m distance and avoid handling other people's gardening equipment.
- Do a spot of sunbathing. Follow NHS guidelines and stay safe when the sun's out!
If you want to spruce up your back garden before you start inviting people over, be sure to check out PrimaPorcelain's porcelain paving range. We have a wide variety of low-maintenance outdoor tiles that will make your patio a more inviting place to be!
Order Your FREE Porcelain Paving Samples >
The advice of this blog post is correct as of 1 June 2020. The guidelines may change (especially if COVID-19 cases begin to increase again), so please check government guidance regularly and make sure you're following the latest rules.
