It’s good news from April 12 as more and more of the economy will begin to open up after outdoor sports and the ‘rule of six’ returned to England. The change was also accompanied by a change in the ‘stay at home’ message to a ‘stay local’ one.

‘Stay local’ officially means to remain in the same village, town or part of a city where you normally live – and that means people from Otley and its immediate surrounds are free to explore the area a little more. Some places you might want to think about visiting include the Chevin, Wharfemeadows Park, Gallows Hill Nature Reserve, Tittybottle Park and other outdoor areas around Otley.

What’s in store from April 12?

For those of you desperate to get a haircut, your nails done or have other beauty treatments, those non-essential shops and businesses (that many of us consider essential) will be re-opening. Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be back and serving food and drinks outside in gardens and terraces. It will be table service, but a “substantial meal” is no longer necessary to accompany your pint, so you can stop arguing whether one or two sausage rolls qualifies.

You can see a list of Otley’s salons here and our growing list of cafes, pubs and restaurants with outdoor space here.

When it comes to working out, indoor leisure such as gyms, spas, studios and swimming pools will also reopen. And public buildings, such as libraries and museums, are also back, as are outdoor attractions like zoos and theme parks (not that we have any in Otley).

“Self-contained accommodation” – which means campsites, holiday lets and cottages – can also reopen, but only with your own household. And finally if you’re celebrating a wedding or a reception can have 15 guests, while the celebration of a past life at a funeral can now be attended by up to 30 people.

As ever, we’ll update you when we have more information.