FAME is a member of the Heritage Alliance. Here is there most recent update on COVID-19 and the Heritage sector:

This morning we had another constructive Heritage Working group meeting with Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston focussed on the development of guidance for the heritage sector which needs to be in place as we emerge from lockdown. If there are things you feel you need to see in guidance please keep feeding these thoughts and questions through to Hannah as there will be a very tight turnaround on this. DCMS will also be working to align guidance produced that crosses between our sector and others within their remit such as museums, arts, tourism and with colleagues in other departments (such as MHCLG on places of worship) to ensure as much consistency as possible.

We have started to hear experiences from those organisations who have begun to open their outdoor spaces in line with health and safety guidelines and the Government’s clarifications about ticketed venues. If you have been opening or are planning to do so shortly we would love to hear from you – both the positives and any emerging challenges.

Please see other  weekly updates below:

Government updates

Further easing of lockdown rules

  • The government has tonight announced a further “limited” and “cautious” easing of the lockdown in England from Monday, noting that the five tests it set out have now been met.
  • From Monday (1 June):
    • Nursery, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils will be able to return to school;
    • Groups of up to six people will be able to meet outside, including in private gardens;
    • Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen.
  • From 15 June:
    • Secondary schools will offer some face-to-face contact for Years 10 and 12
    • All other non-essential retail will be able to open.
  • The Prime Minister cautioned that people should continue to avoid seeing people from too many households in quick succession, to try and limit the spread of the virus.
  • Those who have been asked to shield should also continue to do so.

Update to guidance on accessing green spaces

  • Last weekend, following extensive sector lobbying, a new form of words was added to the government guidance on accessing green spaces, which now states clearly that in England, members of the public can:
  • “visit gardens and land maintained for public use as an alternative open space to spend time outdoors, although buildings and amenities such as cafes will remain closed and access may be limited to members or those with tickets to ensure social distancing. You should check ahead and follow social distancing guidelines”
  • The full guidance can be found here.

 

Lords Debate on supporting museums, galleries, and historic buildings through COVID-19

  • As noted in the last update, last Thursday, the House of Lords held a Short Debate on supporting museums, galleries, and historic buildings through the COVID-19 crisis. We produced a brief setting out the key issues facing our members and sent it to the Lords due to speak. We have attached it to this email.
  • 47 Lords spoke in total, and covered many of the points we raised. You can see the full record on Hansard here.

Revised Discretionary Fund Guidance

  • The guidance to Local Authorities on the £617m Discretionary Fund has been amended so that businesses that are eligible for SEISS are still eligible for support through this fund.
  • The full guidance can be found here.

Public transport funding

  • The government has announced additional £254 million of funding for buses and an additional £29 million for trams and light rail to help maintain and increase the frequency of services, to help ensure social distancing guidelines can be observed.
  • Full details here.

 

Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme now live

  • Employers with fewer than 250 employees can now claim for up to two weeks of coronavirus-related Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). In order to file a claim businesses must be registered with PAYE Online and must have already paid employees’ SSP. Forms are now open for employers to check whether they are eligible and file a claim online.

 

Two new advisory boards to co-ordinate London’s COVID-19 recovery

  • The London Transition Board, co-chaired by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, will co-ordinate London’s response as it emerges from lockdown and safely reopens the economy. The London Recovery Board, co-chaired by the Mayor of London and Cllr. Peter John, Chair of London Councils, will advise on the city’s wider long-term economic and social recovery.


ALVA recovery tracker

  • The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) [Alliance member] has shared the results of Wave 1 and Wave 2 of its ‘Attractions Recovery Tracker’, which offer key insights into how people are feeling about returning to attractions
  • These excellent reports are readily accessible here via the AIM [Alliance member] website.

 

BEIS Webinars on Making Your Workplace Safe

  • BEIS is running a series of webinars on safe working. These seminars are based around the eight workplace-related guidance notes published so far.
  • You can sign up to these webinars here.

BVA-BDRC report on consumer sentiment

  • BVA-BDRC have published a report tracking consumer sentiment on the impact of COVID-19 on travel and mobility, leisure, and hospitality.
  • The report finds that the intention to plan, book and take a UK holiday have both increased significantly this week, and the intention to visit attractions is at its highest since the tracking began.
  • The full report can be found here.

National Lottery Community Fund now open

 

  • A £200m fund has been launched aimed primarily at small to medium organisations in England. The fund is part of the Government’s £750m financial support package for charities and social enterprises announced by Government on April 8. The National Lottery Community Fund will distribute the Government funding alongside National Lottery funding, to support organisations to continue to deliver services to people and communities affected by COVID-19. Full details on how to apply can be found here. Funding will prioritise:

 

  • Organisations supporting people and communities who experience disproportionate challenge and difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 crisis;
  • Organisations providing services and support for vulnerable people, for which there will be increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis;
  • Organisations which connect communities and support communities to work together to respond to COVID-19.

 

Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin CH and Nick de Bois Appointed Chairs of VisitBritain and the Visit England Advisory Board

  • In other news, the Government has announced that Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin and Nick de Bois have respectively been appointed as the Chair of VisitBritain and the Visit England Advisory Board.

 

We continue to update our Guidance Hub with the latest information related to COVID-19. We have also pulled together a Funding Hub which collates funding sources that may help you and your organisation.