Restaurants, bars and pubs have welcomed customers inside for the first time in months as the latest easing of lockdown restrictions has come into effect.
From today, covid restrictions on indoor activities and household mixing have been eased across most of the UK, with indoor food and entertainment venues allowed to reopen across England and Wales.
The latest restrictions lift also means the return of small in-home meetings and groups of up to 30 people can now meet outdoors in England and Scotland.
Hugging is also permitted between close family and friends across the UK, except in Northern Ireland, where they remain in place until at least May 24.
Other recreational venues such as cinemas, museums, theatres and concert halls will be allowed to reopen, although there will be capacity limits on large events.
Speaking before the restrictions were eased, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged families to adopt a ‘heavy dose of caution’ when enjoying their new found freedom in a bid to prevent a spike in new Covid cases.
The relaxation meant that families and friends flocked to restaurants and bars across the country to enjoy their first full night of post-lockdown hospitality.
Cheers: Group enjoy drinks in a Soho pub as groups of six or two households are allowed to meet indoors including at pubs
Performer Bianca, also known as Soho show girl, puts on an impromptu show in a pub for punters enjoying a pint indoors
A group of people enjoying a night out inside a bar in Soho, London, for the first time in months as lockdown is eased
Back to normal: a group of friends avoid bad weather and enjoy a drink indoors a London pub as Covid restrictions are eased
Queues of revellers outside the Yard in Soho, Lonon, as bars, pubs and restaurants can now welcome customers indoors
Revellers on Monday evening enjoy indoor drinking in Newcastle city centre bars on the day lockdown restrictions ease
Revellers dance and sing in the street in Liverpool city centre last night after pubs and bars resumed indoor service
Friends enjoy a drink in Bierkeller in Liverpool city centre last night after pubs and bars resumed indoor service
Revellers out in Liverpool city centre last night after pubs and bars resumed indoor service
Friends embrace inside Showtime Bar in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, as hugging and drinking indoors are back on the menu
Revellers on Monday evening enjoy indoor drinking in Newcastle city centre bars on the day lockdown restrictions ease
Brothers Clive and Rodger Ashworth haven’t seen each other since January last year and met at Rosy Lea Cafe, in Wimbledon
Pictured: Mustafa and Atilla enjoying a coffee indoors at Rosy Lea Cafe, Wimbledon, London, as restrictions are lifted
Pictured: a man enjoys coffee inside a café, Wimbledon, London, as restrictions on hospitality service is lifted across England
A couple enjoy drinks inside a pub in London as the Government continues to follow its roadmap out of the latest lockdown
Pictured: A man enjoys a pint in the Coach and Horses pub in Soho as pubs are now allowed to serve customers indoors
From May 17, pubs and restaurants are now allowed to welcome customers indoors as the government lifts more restrictions
Among the activities that are now permitted for the first time in months are hugs, pubs and foreign holidays. But as lockdown eases across the country police and Boris Johnson urge caution. Pictured: Charlie and Georgie hugging at The Ivy Soho today
Two friends hug outside a restaurant in London. Boris Johnson hoped to lift the majority of remaining restrictions by June 21
The hashtag BackonStage was trending today as theatres have also reopened. Pictured: St Martin’s Theatre, London
Safety first: Theatre-goers get their temperature checked as they arrive to St Martin’s Theatre in London
As well as restaurants, bars and theatres, cinemas have also been allowed to reopen. Pictured: Prince Charles cinema, London
Cinema-goers take their socially-distanced seats for a showing of ‘Nomadland’ in the Rex cinema in Elland in West Yorkshire
Casinos are also allowed to welcome customers back indoors. Pictured: the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, London
Having a flutter: People in the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, London, as lockdown restrictions continue to be lifted