In May 2020, the sports minister Nigel Huddleston MP announced that “all outdoor sports and physical activities are now permitted, without time limit, including outdoor shooting”.
This was followed by an announcement made by the Deputy Chief Constable Dave Orford, national police lead for firearms licensing, that he would be writing to all constabularies in England to advise that shooting was permitted to resume. This clarification will no doubt be welcomed by members of the shooting community as some police forces have been choosing to prohibit shooting, on the basis that it was had not been approved by the government.
Defra minister Victoria Prentis MP subsequently clarified that shooting was included in the government’s approved open-air recreational activities during the Covid-19 pandemic by stating “The Government has said people can now leave their homes for the purposes of open-air recreation in public open spaces to promote their physical or mental health or emotional wellbeing. What counts as “open-air recreation” is not defined in the regulations but would include shooting.” The clarification was made in a response to a parliamentary question raised by Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, chair of the APPG for shooting and conservation.
All outdoor sports and physical activities are now permitted, without time limit, with the exception of swimming in a public open-air swimming pool. Whilst shooting is permitted, it is imperative that if you are partaking in the sport, you must adhere to the government’s guidance on social distancing and if you are travelling to shoot, you must only share a car with members of your own household.
