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Covid lockdown eases: 'Sense of celebration' as pubs and shops reopen
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Coronavirus pandemic
media captionToastmaster opens pub with a gong
For the first time in months, pub gardens, shops and hairdressers are
reopening in England, as rules are also eased in the rest of the UK.
Some pubs and salons opened at midnight, with one landlord saying there
was a "sense of celebration", and shoppers queued outside Primark stores.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged everyone to "behave responsibly".
Northern Ireland's "stay-at-home" order is ending and some rules are
also being relaxed in Scotland and Wales.
The PM had planned to have a celebratory pint to mark the measures
easing, but that has been postponed following the death of the Duke of
Edinburgh on Friday.
What can I do from Monday... and what comes next?
Live updates: Shops, gyms and pub gardens open in England
In pictures: Shoppers and gym-goers enjoy lockdown easing
Snow showers and chilly temperatures in parts of southern England
appeared to do little to dampen enthusiasm for outdoor pints or
early-morning queuing for shops and salons.
Women take a selfie with their drinks at The Fox on the Hill pub in London
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionDrinkers wrapped up warm for an early drink at The Fox on
the Hill pub in London
Nicholas Hair, landlord and owner of the Kentish Belle pub in
Bexleyheath, south-east London, said there was a "sense of celebration"
in the early hours of Monday as it opened to midnight customers.
"I'm hoping that this is a sort of rebirth, and that we are reopen for
the foreseeable," he said.
In Coventry, hundreds of people queued outside the Oak Inn for its
midnight opening. Owner Darren Lee said they served 260 customers, but
turned 300 to 400 people away.
A queue of shoppers outside Primark in Brighton
IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image captionA long queue of shoppers arrived early for the reopening of
Primark in Brighton
Marika Smith, general manager of Hough End Leisure Centre, Withington,
Manchester, said all of their swimming times were already fully booked
on Monday.
Kelly Boad, owner of the Hair & Beauty Gallery in Warwick, opened her
salon at midnight for a symbolic "first cut" of 2021, adding she is
fully booked for the first few weeks.
John Witts enjoys a drink at the reopening of the Figure of Eight pub,
in Birmingham
IMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA
image captionPub-goers, such as John Witts at the Figure of Eight pub in
Birmingham, were not put off by chilly temperatures
Children looking at a penguin in London Zoo in Regent's Park London
IMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA
image captionFamilies descended on London Zoo, which has also been
closed for months
Another business that reopened at midnight in England was Secret Spa,
which offers at-home salon and spa treatments in London, Manchester and
Brighton.
Co-owner Emily Ewart-Perks said it had "been such a long time coming",
saying: "Everyone has really missed the social contact of the day-to-day
job and making clients happy."
She said they have experienced a "surge of bookings", including "a lot
of 6am haircuts".
'Very excited' customers queue for reopened shops
'Everyone's raring to get back to the gym'
As of 10:00 BST, High Street footfall had more than trebled from a week
earlier, as queues formed outside branches of Primark, JD Sports and TK
Maxx and retailers extended their opening hours.
media captionThe rule of six applies for those visiting pubs and
restaurants outdoors in England
The rule changes in England from Monday include:
All shops can reopen
Hairdressers, beauty salons and other close-contact services can open
Restaurants and pubs are allowed to serve food and alcohol to customers
sitting outdoors
Gyms, spas, zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres can all open
Members of the same household can take a holiday in England in
self-contained accommodation
Non-essential journeys between England and Wales are allowed
Up to 15 people can attend weddings and 30 can attend funerals
Children can attend any indoor children's activity
Care home visitors will increase to two per resident
Driving lessons can resume, with tests restarting on 22 April
But the British Beer and Pub Association has estimated that only 40% of
licensed premises have the space to reopen for outdoor service.
People on the Stealth ride as Thorpe Park reopens
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionThrillseekers have been enjoying the rides at Thorpe Park
in Surrey
People enjoy a beer garden at The Cat and Fiddle Inn in Macclesfield,
Cheshire
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionThese cyclists braved the snow for a drink outside The Cat
and Fiddle Inn in Macclesfield, Cheshire
In Northern Ireland, the remaining school year groups 8-11 will return
to the classroom. The stay-at-home message is being relaxed and up to 10
people from two households can meet in a private garden.
Queues at Primark as stores to stay open to 10pm
What are the rules when I go to the pub or a restaurant?
In Scotland, pupils at schools in six council areas go back to school
today. Not everyone is returning on Monday because differing term times
mean some schools are still closed for the Easter holidays.
After a drop in Covid cases prompted the Welsh Government to bring
forward some dates for reopening, all students will return to
face-to-face teaching on Monday.
Non-essential shops can also reopen, close-contact services can resume,
driving lessons can restart and travel in and out of Wales from the rest
of the UK is allowed.
A rhino at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire
IMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA
image captionWhipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire is open for visitors once again
Rebecca Richardson (left) and Genevieve Florence, members of the
Aquabatix synchronised swimming team during a practice session in the
swimming pool at Clissold Leisure Centre, north London, which has
reopened to the public
IMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA
image captionSynchronised swimmers are able to return to indoor pools,
which can reopen, such as this one at Clissold Leisure Centre, north London
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Analysis box by Simon Jack, business editor
Shoppers, gym fans, domestic holiday makers, outdoor drinkers and
diners, plus those in need of a haircut will share the government's hope
that today is an irreversible step towards old and cherished freedoms.
So will the business owners who will be welcoming them back.
But this significant easing of lockdown is also an important test.
Will customers want or be able to return in sufficient numbers for firms
to break even and if they don't, what will it take to make the economy
work again?
Only two in five hospitality venues have any outdoor space and the rules
over future inside opening are still unclear.
The government and the opposition have distanced themselves from
requiring Covid certificates for day-to-day life but the government has
also hinted individual businesses may require them if they wish.
Hospitality chiefs have told the BBC they fear having to choose between
two different ways to lose money - half empty venues without
certificates or full ones with extra staff and hassle to check Covid status.
Demand may vary by sector.
Hairdressers are booked solid, retailers are hopeful of high footfall
and are welcoming longer opening hours but some holiday parks are
reporting subdued bookings as many of their public amenities remain closed.
It is a test for everyone - but a welcome one for most.
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In a statement, the prime minister said the rule relaxations are "a
major step forward in our roadmap to freedom".
"I'm sure it will be a huge relief for those business owners who have
been closed for so long, and for everyone else it's a chance to get back
to doing some of the things we love and have missed," he added.
"I urge everyone to continue to behave responsibly and remember 'hands,
face, space and fresh air' to suppress Covid as we push on with our
vaccination programme."
People attend a strength and conditioning class at Ultimate Fitness Gym
in Wallsend, north-east England
IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS
image captionUltimate Fitness Gym in Wallsend, north-east England, is
among the businesses to have reopened early on Monday
Amanda Sidley, owner of Bronte's Hair Boutique, cuts a customers hair
after reopening on April 12, 2021 in Leek, England
IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES
image captionSome customers booked early hair appointments on Monday
The rule changes in England marks the third easing since the country's
third national lockdown began on 6 January.
There is a gap of at least five weeks between each step on the
government's "roadmap" out of lockdown, to allow the impact of changes
on infection rates and hospital admissions to be assessed.
Shoppers told 'stay safe' as Welsh stores reopen
Pupils begin full time return to secondary schools
NI's 'stay home' order lifted as restrictions ease
The next significant date is 17 May, when up to six people from
different households could be allowed to socialise indoors.
The four conditions for easing England's lockdown measures
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More than 32 million people in the UK have now had their first dose of a
coronavirus vaccine and of those 7.4m have had their second dose.
A record total of 475,230 second doses were administered on Saturday -
along with 111,109 first doses.
Mr Johnson praised the "record-breaking day" on Twitter, writing:
"Thanks to everyone involved in this extraordinary effort which has
already saved thousands of lives."
The number of people dying in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid
test continues to fall steadily, with seven further deaths reported on
Sunday.
That is the lowest daily death toll by this measure since 14 September
2020. However, there can be a lag in reporting coronavirus statistics
during weekends.