The government is set to announce today that the wearing of a mask/face covering in all shops in England is to become mandatory from 24th July.
Under these new regulations, it is stated that fines of up to £100 will be enforced by police officers for those whole fail to comply.
This fine will be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
A spokesperson for No.10 confirmed yesterday evening that: “There is growing evidence that wearing a face covering in an enclosed space helps protect individuals and those around them from coronavirus. The prime minister has been clear that people should be wearing face coverings in shops and we will make this mandatory from 24 July.”
Since mid-May, the public have been advised to wear coverings in enclosed public spaces, where they may encounter people they would not usually meet.
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With this new guidance expected to be detailed in full and officially released by the UK government today, where exactly are face masks and coverings already mandatory in England, and where will they be as of 24th July 2020?
We’re not back to normal yet.
It is vital that you continue to keep a safe distance from others.
In situations where you can't keep 2 metres apart, stay at least 1 metre apart while taking other extra precautions.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) July 13, 2020
It was declared that from 15th June 2020 it would become mandatory for anyone travelling by bus, train, ferry or plane in England to wear a face covering.
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A number of passengers are exempt from the regulations including:
Children under 11.
People with disabilities.
Those with breathing difficulties.
Anyone travelling with someone who relies on lip reading.
These regulations also state if it is “reasonably necessary” for you to eat or drink, then you are permitted to remove the face covering in order to do so.
The modes of public transport that are excluded from the above regulations cruise ships, school transport, taxis and private hire vehicles, however, ride-sharing company Uber did make face coverings compulsory for all drivers and passengers from 15th June too.
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Passengers can be refused travel if they don’t follow the face covering rules and can be fined as a last resort.
Environment Secretary George Eustice has appeared on a number of media outlets live this morning to discuss the new face covering regulations that are set to become mandatory and has indicated that the wearing of masks will however not be compulsory in restaurants, eateries, bars and pubs, although confirmation of this in full is expected along with the published guidance today.
When questioned, Mr Eustice also went on to defend the Government’s delay on bringing the new measures in, stating that it was based on “changing evidence”.
Please refer to official sources via the gov.uk/coronavirus website here for more information on the above upon release.
You can also visit the @PHE_uk interactive dashboard which included local authority data for England: ➡️ https://t.co/8OHvHj6yyM
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) July 13, 2020
#StaySafeSaveLives
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The route for the 2027 Tour de France Femmes revealed ahead of Manchester debut
Danny Jones
The route for next year’s women’s historic Tour de France has been announced, with some of the best riders in the world set to pass through Greater Manchester and more.
Yet another big coup for the region and our sporting scene.
Speaking with the City Council, now that the full route has been revealed, our very own Dame Sarah Storey joined many in celebrating another huge moment for us; the female Tour de France is not just back up and running, but aiming to become bigger than ever.
🚴♀️ The world’s best cyclists are heading to Manchester! 🚴♀️
The routes for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2027 have now been revealed, with Manchester set to host the Stage One finish on Friday 30 July and the Stage Two start on Saturday 31 July. pic.twitter.com/OMMlhdorqP
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) April 21, 2026
The Stockport-born swimmer turned Team GB cyclist and multi-Olympic gold medallist knows all about what makes this particular sport special, having swapped a previous and highly successful career for an entirely different discipline.
As has now been fully confirmed, the 2027 Grand Départ will be getting underway with our friends in Leeds, before heading through Yorkshire and into Greater Manchester.
Upon entering our neck of the woods, the course will pass through the likes of Rochdale and Oldham into Manchester city centre, before heading into Stockport and neighbouring North West county, Derbyshire, and finally heading back through the Peaks.
Spread across two incredible days, the race itself will finish in Sheffield, with another UK first happening down in London, as the capital will also host the inaugural team time trial held in this country.
You can see the official event’s breakdown of what locations feature in which stages of ‘The Big Loop’ in more detail below.
Leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, went on to add: “Being able to watch the world’s best cyclists in action and in such an iconic event, taking place right here on our doorstep in the heart of Manchester next summer, is going to be epic on so many levels.
“Championing women and girls to participate in and enjoy sports – including cycling – at all levels from entry through to elite, is really important to us and next year’s Tour de France Femmes is set to play a huge part in helping inspire the next generation of sporting talent from our city.
“With millions of spectators expected to line the routes, including here in the city centre, we’ll be going all out to help ensure the event’s success with what is set to be a ‘Tour takeover’ of the city to maximise opportunities for local people and businesses to get involved, to grow their own sporting skills, and to take part in the many community activities being planned.”
Having hosted everything from the BRITs and the MOBO Awards to another Super League Grand Finals in both netball and rugby, not to mention numerous other huge events over the past couple of years, it truly is a great time to be living in Greater Manchester.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Manchester City Council)
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Popular grassroots music festival to return to hidden Manchester street with new fringe events
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s much-loved grassroots music festival is back next month, and this year, there’s some new fringe events too.
Set across a handful of popular venues up on Deansgate Mews – including The Lion’s Den, Low Four Studios and The Mews Bar – Deansgate Mews Festival is returning for its sixth year this late May bank holiday weekend.
More than 40 music artists will be performing on a mix of outdoor and intimate indoor stages.
But that’s not all, as in what’s set to be an exciting new chapter for 2026, the festival is expanding beyond its core programme with the launch of the first-ever Mews Fest Fringe too.
Popular grassroots music festival Mews Fest returns this late May bank holiday / Credit: Supplied
The inaugural Mews Fest Fringe will be hosted in a large unit within Great Northern Warehouse, which will be transformed into a ‘vibrant’ hub celebrating music, art and independent culture.
Designed as a platform for Manchester’s creative community, the festival space will welcome artists, designers, collectors, and creative entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their work while connecting with festival-goers.
At the Fringe event, you can expect everything from record sellers and vinyl collectors, to vintage clothes, arts and crafts makers, independent creatives, and even bands selling merchandise.
This year there’s also the addition of the Mews Fest Fringe / Credit: Supplied
Already known for its strong grassroots ethos and growing reputation, Mews Fest continues to champion local talent and independent culture – but now with the addition of the Fringe event, the stage is set for its most ‘ambitious and inclusive’ edition to date.
Oh and the best bit? Both festivals will be free to attend, with no need to book tickets beforehand.
The Manc -
14th July 2020 
