Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that music venues in England may reopen with reduced audiences beginning August 15. Additionally, several other “leisure, sport, and cultural activities” are set to reopen, including indoor sports events and business conferences.
The reopening comes on the heels of the Red Alert movement and #WeMakeEvents protests that have been occurring across England, with the goal of drawing attention to the job losses and economic hardships faced by those in the music industry.
News of the openings also comes with declarations of harsher fines for breaches of coronavirus restrictions. Johnson clarified that he “will not hesitate to put on the brakes if required, or to continue to implement local measures to help to control the spread of the virus.”
Featured image: Tom Wilkinson
