Cinemas, museums and galleries in one of the nations hardest hit by the global pandemic can reopen from early next month.
Emer McCarthy reports.
England's cultural hubs to reopen July 4
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce on Tuesday (June 23) that cinemas, museums and galleries in England can reopen from next month.
It will be the next stage in a gradual return to normality for the economy, as the number of COVID-19 deaths and cases decline in one of the worst-hit nations of the global pandemic.
July 4 will see some higher-risk venues like those in the arts and cultural sector allowed to reopen their doors in England.
But there will be strict rules to maintain social distancing.
Johnson will also announce the findings of a review into whether to relax the current rule that people must maintain a distance of two meters at all times to prevent the spread of the virus.
He's faced increased lobbying from businesses, and political pressure in his own party, to drop the two-meter rule.
Finance minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged that relaxing the rule would make a huge difference to many businesses.
Pubs and restaurants have called for the distance to be reduced to one meter - the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization.