Last-minute scramble for couples and venues as weddings allowed guests

Melissa Thorneycroft, from Walsall, is due to tie the knot with Lewis Harper on June 26 after their original date was pushed back from May 15.

And she has welcomed the decision by the Prime Minister – who delayed easing restrictions until July 19 – to remove the limit on guest numbers.

But other restrictions – including social distancing and on singing and dancing – will remain in place whilst the others rules are lifted on June 21.

Melissa, aged 29, said: "It's fantastic news considering we were facing a 30-person limit, but we don't know what it fully means yet because people will have to be socially-distanced.

"We think we'll be allowed around 60 guests which covers us for our numbers, but we still don't know what the other restrictions will be in place.

"Masks will have to be worn, I presume but we still don't know for certain, and the other restrictions too – what about dancing? We're only finding this information out [on Monday] and there's only 12 days to go before our wedding and a lot of stuff we've had to hold off on like wedding signage, which hasn't been ordered because we didn't know how many people would be allowed.

"It's been very stressful and there's been uncertainty the Government – one day they say it's capped at 30 and the next day they say weddings are a 'super-spreader' event. It's been a roller-coaster of emotions this past week, especially just not knowing what our wedding was going to look like.

"But we're really happy we're going to be able to celebrate with close friends and family, it was never going to be a massive affair – just getting married in front of the people who matter most.

"People might say 'it's just a party' but it's so much more than that – it's the start of two people's lives together and we want to do that in front of our family and friends, whatever comes next in terms of restrictions will be and I'm just happy we can get married on the day."

Emily Lewis, director at The Moat House hotel in Acton Trussell, Stafford – a popular Midlands wedding venue – said there had been a mixed reaction from couples after they heard the news.

She said: "It's been a bit of a mixed big for us, to be honest, because we spent most of last night [Monday] contacting couples affected by the changes and it's quite split down the middle – 50/50 – with some choosing to move their wedding because they're not able to go ahead with the restrictions on the numbers, but the other half are still going ahead with their wedding [before restrictions ease].

"For us, as a venue, we can now accommodate 60 people which is a quite a significant difference for us but we're still waiting for the full guidance to come out. But we understand mask wearing is still going to be in place, which is quite frustrating if people are sat down – it doesn't make a lot of sense when people can remove their masks in other places when they're seated.

"I think everyone here heard the announcement as it came out and now we just have to play the waiting game [for the guidance] which is really frustrating for ourselves, the supplies and the couples. We're all trying to work as quick as possible and we've got weddings next week and the couples really need that information to make those decisions."

Mixed reaction for entertainment venues

Meanwhile, the decision to halt the full easing of lockdown until July 19 – deemed necessary by the Prime Minister to prevent "thousands more deaths" has been met with a mixed reaction.

Many have said the move made "perfect sense" whilst others called it "devastating" for businesses and urged Ministers to provide the hospitality sector, hit badly by Covid-19, with support.

Kelly Jeffs, CEO at the Light House Cinema in Wolverhampton, said: "My first thought is that I'm not surprised by it, but, secondly, in relation to the Light House, it's really not going to affect us – we've only been open for a few days now.

"Our operations are within the guidelines they've set out and we're happy with what we can and can't do at the minute. We can bring 99 people into the cinema, within our capacity, and of course it would be great to open it up [fully] but we're not going to get hundreds and hundreds of people coming in because we've only just reopened on Friday.

"My third thought is that there needs to be some support. They need to support businesses in some way – there needs to be some support because it [the delay] is horrendous and devastating to the hospitality sector.

"We've already suspended event bookings while we get up and running again, it's all a bit much to do it in one go and we're quite a small team as well.

"But there's opportunities that could be delayed down the line because of this, with fundraising, events and bigger shows – it's just devastating for everyone, but I'm not surprised this has happened – I wasn't quite convinced by the dates in the road map."

Ms Jeffs added the cinema saw around 150 people turn out over the weekend which she described as "quite a nice number" as she said the venue was looking "onwards and upwards" despite the latest Government decision.

Due to the announcement, Staffs Fest – a three-day music festival set to take place at Lower Drayton Farm in Penkridge on June 25 – has been pushed back until September.

A spokeswoman for the festival said: "We have come to the decision to postpone Staffs Fest until September 17, 18 and 19, the suppliers are available this weekend – from the marquees to the bars, staging and lighting – [in] the hope that we are as Covid-free as possible with no restrictions in September.

"We hope you all understand and we are gutted we can’t continue next week and be the first festival of the season.

"To continue with the festival under stage three rules [the current restrictions] we feel would it couldn’t safely go ahead and a logistical nightmare, taking out all the fun of a three day festival."

Staffordshire County Council leader Councillor Alan White said: "While the Prime Minister’s announcement on the pausing of the lifting of lockdown will be disappointing for some, we need to make the lifting of lockdown work in the long term.

"Staffordshire’s current outbreak linked to schools in Leek, is a stark reminder that Covid is not only still with us, particularly among young adults, but also that we can’t afford to let our guard down now.

"As a county council, we will do everything we can to continue to manage outbreaks and support residents and businesses and if we continue to work together the full lifting of restrictions will happen, but only when it is safe to do so."