England embraces return of high street shopping
Top Story
April 13, 2021
LONDON: England’s shops, hairdressers, pub beer gardens and pavement cafes reopened on Monday as the coronavirus lockdown eased.
Boris Johnson urged the nation to “behave responsibly” as life took another step back towards normality, with indoor gyms, swimming pools, nail salons and zoos also welcoming customers.Wales was also enjoying renewed freedoms from Monday, with non-essential retail reopened and border restrictions eased to permit travel again with the rest of the UK and Ireland.
Remaining school pupils returned to face-to-face teaching in Wales and Northern Ireland, in moves being echoed in Scotland as some pupils return from their Easter breaks.The “stay at home” order in Northern Ireland also ended as the number of people permitted to meet outdoors increased from six to 10.
Much-needed midnight haircuts, crack-of-dawn retail therapy and cheering thirsty pub-goers have ushered in the long-awaited reopening of a swathe of businesses across England.
Eager customers wasted no time in making the most of the easing of coronavirus restrictions on Monday as the country took the next significant step on its journey out of a third national lockdown.
Losing lengthy lockdown locks and reinvigorating beauty treatments were the priority for some as relaxed rules meant salons and hairdressers were able to treat customers for the first time since January 6.
Early-morning queues formed outside clothing stores, with thousands of non-essential retail premises now eligible to resume trading.
Customers cheered as the first drinks were served at the UK’s biggest pub on Monday after coronavirus restrictions were eased.
A handful of people braved the chilly seaside air in Ramsgate in pursuit of their first “proper” pint in months.
Pippa Ingram, 51, and Sue Bell, 55, were presented with the first drinks at the Royal Victoria Pavilion.
The huge Wetherspoon establishment, which in regular times can hold close to 800 people, is believed to be the biggest pub in the UK and was among the bars nationwide welcoming back customers.
As the pints were brought to their table, Ms Ingram celebrated getting a drink “from a proper pub!”
Customers cheered as the first drinks were served at the UK’s biggest pub on Monday after coronavirus restrictions were eased.
A handful of people braved the chilly seaside air in Ramsgate in pursuit of their first “proper” pint in months.
Pippa Ingram, 51, and Sue Bell, 55, were presented with the first drinks at the Royal Victoria Pavilion.
The huge Wetherspoon establishment, which in regular times can hold close to 800 people, is believed to be the biggest pub in the UK and was among the bars nationwide welcoming back customers.
As the pints were brought to their table, Ms Ingram celebrated getting a drink “from a proper pub!”