PARTY-loving Brits descended on the nation’s city centres for the first Saturday night since lockdown rules were relaxed to allow people to drink inside.
Many put on their very best glad rags after months of only being able to dream about what it would be like to finally return to their favourite bars and pubs.
The streets of London, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham were all mobbed as many were out early – clearly keen to make up for lost time.
The fun comes amid a stark warning from UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls that many venues have not survived the lengthy Covid shutdown.
She said: “There has been a contraction of one in 10 restaurants across the UK but in our high streets it is as high as one in five. So our high streets are going to look very different.
“All of our businesses are suffering and sadly we have lost 660,000 members of staff.
“Furlough and business support has kept those numbers as low as we can but there is a big risk as we come out of this pandemic, as these businesses are going to be very heavily in debt.
“They are much more indebted than any other sector of the economy. In particular, they have got high levels of rent debt so the shadow of Covid is going to hang over these businesses for about six months before we know that we can get them through.”
But it’s hoped things will finally start picking up as Step Three in Boris’s roadmap is the biggest unlocking so far – with hugs, holidays and casual sex back on the cards.
And those happy to brave the rain can meet in groups of up to thirty in a pub garden.
Customers will still need to order, eat and drink while seated – with propping up the bar off the table for the time being.
When not seated – for example, while being taken to a table or heading to the toilet – punters must ensure they’re wearing face coverings.
Despite larger numbers allowed to meet outside, social distancing between different groups will be encouraged.
It is the first weekend since November that all Brits can once again mix inside.
When Britain came out of its second lockdown, almost all areas of the country were plunged into Tier 2 and 3 – with meeting indoors banned.
Those in Tier 2 could only meet households inside pubs – with booze only served with a substantial meal – while Tier 3 saw all boozers closed.
Only a handful of Brits in Tier 1 – in Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles – could meet inside pubs and restaurants.
