PUBS, restaurants, bars and cafes will be able to reopen indoors from Monday, the First Minister will confirm today.

First Minister Mark Drakeford will today (Friday, July 31) set out changes to the coronavirus regulations in Wales making it easier for families and friends to meet outdoors.

From Monday (August 3), up to 30 people will be able to meet outdoors and children under 11 will no longer have to maintain a 2m distance from each other or from adults – in line with the latest scientific evidence about lower transmission rates in this age group.

Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to re-open indoors from Monday, as will indoor bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls.

The First Minister will thank businesses for working with the Welsh Government and introducing new measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus but he will also warn action will be taken against those who ignore the measures designed to keep Wales safe.

Mr Drakeford said he was "confident" the current state of coronavirus in Wales meant it is safe for hospitality businesses to resume indoor service.

Public Health Wales said yesterday a further two people had died after testing positive for Covid-19, taking its total number of deaths to 1,556, while the number of cases increased by nine to bring the total of confirmed cases to 17,232.

Mr Drakeford told the Heart South Wales radio station he had been "impressed" with the way hospitality businesses had operated with outdoor service since they were able to on July 13, and that outdoor service would also now be allowed from August 3.

He said: "We said a couple of weeks ago that, provided everything went according to plan, we would be able to reopen indoor hospitality - cafes, restaurants, bars and so on, on August 3.

"It depended upon the state of the coronavirus.

"We've had the latest checks.

"We're confident now that we'll be able to go ahead."