Message from Cllr Dan Thomas, Leader of Barnet Council, on easing of restrictions

Thanks to the ongoing sacrifices that we have all made to prevent the spread of infection, and the cautious approach to reopening, we can now regain more freedoms.

We can once again mix with one other household indoors or meet indoors in a group of six. We can hug our relatives and friends - so long as you are confident that it is safe to do so (e.g. if you are fully vaccinated and not self-isolating). We can now dine and drink indoors in restaurants, cafés and pubs; we can visit museums and galleries, and we can stay in hotels and B&Bs.

As we are gradually returning to normal life and enjoying things that we have missed doing, we must remember that COVID-19 is still around. The spread of the variant that originated in India makes vigilance particularly important if we are to lift any more restrictions in the future.

We need to be sensible and continue to observe the now familiar ‘Hands, Face, Space, Fresh air’ – wash your hands frequently, wear a face covering in places where it is required, keep a safe distance - especially from others that you are not in contact with regularly - and make sure that enclosed spaces are well ventilated.

I also urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as you can and to undertake regular rapid testing for the virus. We have very good access to vaccination locally including GP hubs, pharmacies and a mass vaccination centre at Saracens’ StoneX stadium. Doing so is our only long-term way out of the pandemic.

Summer in Barnet:

While we continue to live with COVID-19, we can look forward to many of the things that make Barnet such a great place to be. The council has invested significantly in cleaning our town centres, high streets, parks and greenspaces. You will see extra bins and more staff working to keep our public spaces tidy and family-friendly places of leisure.

I urge you to support our local shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. Our Discover Barnet campaign will help you find some of the hidden gems that are at the heart of our local communities. We have planned an exciting summer of events across the borough themed around culture, food, and sport.

Please look out for more details soon; while we cannot guarantee good weather, we can guarantee that there will be something for everyone in Barnet to safely enjoy this summer!