Social distancing and table service set to be scrapped in pubs and restaurants from 19 July: Prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to tell people in England that it will be left to their “judgement” to manage coronavirus risks as he prepares to restore freedoms on 19 July. Johnson will lead a Downing Street press conference on Monday (5 July) where he will tell the public the country must “begin to learn to live with this virus” in the clearest indication yet he is preparing to do away with a swathe of restrictions on daily life. Johnson will update the nation on the future of the one metre-plus rule in hospitality venues, the use of face coverings and work from home guidance, with multiple reports suggesting they will all be scrapped. It has been suggested that from so-called “Freedom Day” on 19 July, mask wearing will become voluntary, while social distancing in pubs and bars will end – along with needing to use a QR code to check-in – meaning a return to drinking at the bar without the requirement for table service. Mass events, including festivals, will also reportedly be allowed under the proposals for the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown. Alongside the press conference, health secretary Sajid Javid will address the Commons on Monday to update MPs on any changes. Johnson is expected to say: “Thanks to the successful rollout of our vaccination programme, we are progressing cautiously through our roadmap. Today we will set out how we can restore people’s freedoms when we reach step four. But I must stress the pandemic is not over and cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks. As we begin to learn to live with this virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from covid and exercise judgment when going about our lives.” Alongside the press conference, the government will publish the results of its reviews into the use of so-called vaccine passports and the future of social distancing guidance, Downing Street confirmed. Cabinet ministers on Sunday (4 July) appeared to prepare the ground for an easing of measures, with communities secretary Robert Jenrick telling the BBC the government could “roll back” restrictions due to the impact vaccines are having on reducing serious illness from covid-19. Meanwhile, Javid said while the economic arguments for opening up were well known, for him the health arguments were “equally compelling”. Despite the indications of a wholesale easing in two weeks, scientists have voiced concern about the prospect of ending restrictions at a time when cases have been rising in England. Labour said the government must declare how many covid-related deaths it is willing to accept in the face of rising cases of the Indian strain – also known as the Delta variant – if restrictions are to be abolished in favour of treating the virus like flu. Public Health England estimates across the 2017-18 flu season, there were about 22,000 deaths associated with flu in England. The latest government figures show, as of 9am on Sunday, there had been an additional 24,248 lab-confirmed covid-19 cases in the UK – up 66% in the past week. However, a further 15 people were recorded to have died within 28 days of testing positive, official figures stated on Sunday, in a indication vaccines are guarding against coronavirus-related deaths, with mortality down 1.6% in the past seven days.

Next edition of Blue Book for Premium subscribers to add 62 companies with combined turnover of £2.1bn: The updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which will be published for Premium subscribers at midday on Friday (9 July), will feature an additional 62 companies with a combined turnover of £2.1bn. The second edition will feature a total of 280 companies and will provide an overview of the most recent five years, ranking them by turnover and profit conversion. It will also show directors’ earnings over five years and the top-earning director. Total turnover for the 280 companies is £25.8bn. The minimum company turnover to be included will be £4m. The Blue Book is updated each month, with more companies added. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The regular single subscription rate of £395 plus VAT for operators and £495 plus VAT for suppliers remains the same. Premium subscribers also receive access to a second exclusive monthly database, The Propel Multi-Site Database. The updated database of multi-site companies for June includes 63 new companies since its previous update in May – making a total of 1,880 listed businesses. Collectively, the 63 new companies operate 565 venues. Subscribers not only received the database as a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet, they were also sent a 10,389-word report on the businesses added during June. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and now also have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel insights editor Mark Wingett. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to sign up.

Revoke Michelin stars if staff are bullied, say chefs: Michelin-starred restaurants should be stripped of their awards if staff are bullied, the chefs’ union is demanding amid allegations of abusive behaviour by chefs towards their colleagues in the industry. Unichef said allegations of bullying were too common and asked its members to sign a petition aimed at stripping Michelin stars and rosettes from restaurants where abuse takes place. Executive director Brian McElderry told the Times: “The awarding of accreditations and/or sponsorship in a company’s name can no longer be deemed acceptable where the suffering and abuse of employees is taken so lightly.” Asma Khan, the owner of Darjeeling Express, in central London, who specialises in Indian food and has won numerous awards for her cookbooks, has backed the campaign. “I have been calling out the toxic culture in kitchens for years,” she said. In a social media post, she wrote: “Break the silence – restaurant kitchens should not be a place of fear. A question for Michelin Guide UK: ‘Do you have a code of conduct for a restaurant/chef you award a star to’?” The organisers of the campaign to rescind Michelin stars and rosettes said in a statement online: “This appalling behaviour of systemic abuse, glorified by some so-called celebrity chefs and many others in the profession is vile and degrading and has no place in a modern working environment. They are fully and legally responsible for abusive behaviour in their premises, no matter how many stars or rosettes they have. It is now the time for global brands such as Michelin to call out chefs who portray a healthy image to the public but are systemic abusers and run their ‘tribal’ kitchens with all the management technique of a gang of street thugs. People within hospitality are well aware of all the issues but are reluctant to criticise but now we believe that all sponsorship and accolades awarded in a brand’s name should be rescinded upon proven evidence of abuse and companies such as Michelin and the AA should ‘call out’ abuse in their name.”