England yesterday took another tentative step toward the resumption of normal life as pubs and restaurants were allowed to partially reopen, in a major easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
English pubs and restaurants can now serve drinkers and diners outside, despite forecasts of wintry temperatures, bringing some cheer to the hard-hit hospitality industry after repeated closures.
“It’ll be great to see everybody again and see all the locals,” said Louise Porter, landlady of The Crown Inn in Askrigg, northern England.
Photo: Reuters
Also able to reopen are barbers and hairdressers, where demand is high for long overdue trims more than three months after the latest stay-at-home order was imposed.
A surge of shoppers is expected at stores in the nonessential retail sector, as outlets try to recoup heavy losses.
Gyms, swimming pools, libraries and zoos have also been given the go-ahead to open their doors, as have self-catering domestic holidays, for which bookings have soared.
Meanwhile, mosques are preparing for the start of Ramadan this week, a year after the Muslim holy month was observed without traditional community gatherings.
The resumption of Ramadan prayers, even with some social distancing restrictions, could give worshipers “a renewed optimism,” Muslim Council of Britain secretary-general Zara Mohammed said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the easing of restrictions “a major step forward in our road map 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,” Johnson said.
Johnson had promised to toast the latest easing with a celebratory pint at a pub beer garden — a year to the day since he left hospital after contracting COVID-19.
Government ministers, scientists and health officials are warning the public against complacency, even after more than 60 percent of adults have received a first dose of a vaccine.
“The watchword has got to be caution, really,” said Peter Horby, chairman of the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group.
“The modeling which is now pretty good does show that we can expect some kind of rebound,” he told Times Radio on Sunday. “It’s not clear exactly when or how big it will be, but there is, I think, inevitably going to be a bit of a rebound in the number of cases when things are relaxed.”
The UK has recorded 4,384,610 cases and 127,331 deaths.
The economy has also been devastated by a year of enforced closures and restrictions, prompting consideration of new measures to ensure businesses stay open.
One possibility is “vaccine passports,” but that has triggered debate about whether they would be effective or enforced — and the implications for civil liberties.
All restrictions are scheduled to be lifted on June 21.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who set their own health policies, are implementing less widespread easing of restrictions.
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