Non-essential shops in Wales could reopen next month, says Drakeford

The First Minister indicated further relaxing of lockdown rules, before defending his ‘stay local’ five-mile restriction on travel.

High-street shops, markets and sports courts in Wales could open next month with a further easing of lockdown measures, the First Minister has said.

Mark Drakeford said retail businesses which can adhere to the two-metre distance rule should start to prepare to reopen over the next three weeks.

The Welsh Government will make a decision on non-essential retailers at the next review of coronavirus measures on June 18, after taking into account scientific and medical evidence.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Drakeford indicated further relaxing of lockdown rules at Friday’s daily press briefing, where he was also forced to defend the Government’s decision to impose a five-mile limit on its new “stay local” regulations.

It came as Public Health Wales said a further 10 people had died after testing positive for Covid-19, taking its total to 1,317 deaths, though the true number is known to be more than 2,000.

The number of positive cases also grew by 102 to a total of 13,827.

Mr Drakeford said: “I understand that we’re talking about people’s businesses and livelihoods.

“We’re talking about things people were previously able to do and do it in a very straightforward way.

“We’ve learned a lot, and I want that knowledge to be applied to the non-essential retail sector.