Campsites WILL be able to reopen on July 4 with new rules

CAMPERS can rejoice as campsites WILL be able to open from July 4 - as long as communal spaces remain clean and safe.

For the first time since March, those in need of a holiday will be allowed to leave their homes and stay overnight as the hospitality industry prepares to kick back into action next month.

Campsites, along with caravan parks, hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets are to reopen from July 4 and people will be allowed to travel to their second homes to stay overnight.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement today: "From July 4, people will be free to stay overnight in contained accommodation, including hotels, B&Bs, including campsites, as long as shared facilities are kept clean."

This includes one other household, meaning two households will be able to go on holiday together.

New guidelines are set to be sent to tourism industry chiefs by the end of next week.

Campsites, holiday parks and hotels were forced to close across the country in March, with 80 per cent of the hospitality industry currently furloughed.

Cornwall Council said the estimated loss to the tourism sector in the county will be £630 million to the end of June.

Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said that if tourism and hospitality businesses could re-open safely, they should.

“There are tens of thousands of jobs at risk here, as well as the supply chain,” he said.

“When it is one of the bedrocks of your economy you do need to get it going to help the rest of the economy.”

He said that hotels, campsites and holiday parks will be able to re-open, but with reduced capacity.

“Our message to people is plan and book for a safe and great holiday,” he said.

Caravan parks have previously had hopes for July holidays as they are "naturally social distanced".

Many trailers are not only 5-6m apart, but they also have their own self-contained facilities, meaning less risk of contamination than campsites where holidaymakers have to use communal showers and toilet blocks.

For our touring pitches for caravans and tents it is vital we know what we are expected to do to open communal facilities

Gerard Tempest, Haven

Some caravan parks and campsites are even letting wild patches of tall grass grow between pitches to make sure holidaymakers stay 2m apart. 

The new ‘wildlife corridors’ are one of many new features being introduced to holiday parks to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Wales and Scotland caravan parks hope to open from July 13 and July 15, respectively.

Gerard Tempest, from the UK’s largest holiday park provider Haven, says they are putting measures in place but still have no idea if they will comply with government guidelines.

He said: "For our touring pitches for caravans and tents it is vital we know what we are expected to do to open communal facilities - in normal times they are open 24 hours.

“But right now we are working on plans to have them manned from 7am to 7pm, with staff cleaning each shower cubicle and toilet between each use with anti-viral cleaning products.

“After that, we will still keep the facilities open but have sanitising wipes available for guests to clean the facilities themselves.”