THE nation’s roadmap out of lockdown has been revealed, giving the public an idea of when life will return to relative normality.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is “very optimistic” Covid restrictions in England can be lifted on June 21, but warned “nothing can be guaranteed”. He said his roadmap for easing lockdown measures, laid out this week, was “a cautious but irreversible approach”.

Cases in various pockets of Wiltshire have risen in the last week, leading to a cautious welcome from officials and reminders “not to let down your guard.”

In Devizes, where weekly cases have increased by 27 in Devizes West and by 17 in Devizes East, Cllr Laura Mayes urged people to adhere to restrictions.

She added: “I would encourage people to keep up with the current rules to prevent a further rise.”

Town Cllr Kelvin Nash added that people needed to “remain vigilant” across Wiltshire to quell a rise in cases.

In terms of schooling, unions have also urged caution among bringing classes back by April.

Hannah Packham, South West regional secretary of the National Education Union said: “A ‘big bang’ school reopening brings 10 million people back into crowded buildings with no social distancing and inadequate ventilation. The wearing of face masks by pupils and staff in in secondary school lessons is a welcome measure but it is not, on its own enough.”

While pubs and restaurants can re-open outdoors, and shops which sell non-essential goods can start trading, from April 12, pubs and restaurants cannot serve customers inside until May 17.

Business West MD Phil Smith said: “Many companies will have been disappointed by this roadmap. It certainly does not give many real hope of surviving the next few months - particularly in the hospitality sector where restaurants and nightclubs will not be open until June.”

Caroline Philpott, from the New Inn at Westwood, said: “We are in a bit of a quandary.

“Our feeling is that in April we can only open outside and it’s going to be a bit of a risk factor with all the preparation of the food only to find out that’s pouring with rain and there’s no-one here.

“I think that we will open properly in May if we can but we will see what the weather is like in April.”

Jackie Allan, who runs clothing shop Piha in Lamb Yard, Bradford on Avon, said: "I'm excited about it but a bit scared too. This third lockdown has been quite tough.

"We are a non-essential shop selling clothing and haven't had the opportunity to have a January sale and get rid of all our old winter stock.

"I am looking forward to reopening in April but it still feels like a long way away.

"I am looking forward to it with trepidation because people have got used to buying clothes on the internet and buying from other shops that have been able to open.

"In an ideal world, we would make the supermarkets close for a month and that would enable people to buy from small independent shops."