Beer gardens across the country were packed as Britons celebrated the second weekend since lockdown restrictions were eased.
Revellers enjoyed their new freedom by toasting the return of pubs and restaurants as Covid rules now mean people are allowed to eat and drink outside.
Pictures show people flocking to beer gardens and making the most of the sunshine after Covid restrictions were eased on April 12, allowing pubs to reopen for outdoor dining and drinking.
Pubs and bars in England can now open outdoor seating areas to welcome back groups of up to six people, or two households. Indoor seating will not be allowed until at least May 17 under the Government’s current roadmap out of lockdown.
Britons packed out pub beer gardens and restaurants to celebrate the second weekend since lockdown restrictions eased.
Care for a top-up: two women enjoy pitchers at Wetherspoons in Chinatown, Birmingham, on Saturday night
Ladies’ out in The Arcadian in Birmingham’s Chinatown as thousands of revellers came out into the city centre
Many people enjoyed the hottest day of the year so far and weren’t put off when temperatures dipped after the sun went in
A group of ladies wait for a taxi on Bennetts Hill as thousands of revellers came out into Birmingham city centre
Drinkers hit the streets in Birmingham, London, Leeds and other cities across the UK to see their friends after months of lockdown.
With temperatures hitting 57F in parts of England and Wales, pub gardens were packed out as Britons reunited with friends and family after months of lockdown.
The dry and sunny conditions are expected to persist on Sunday, but forecasters said England’s east may have a little more cloud cover.
Conditions should remain fine in the south heading into early next week but will likely turn more unsettled elsewhere with rain and showers spreading south-east.
Restaurants and bars have been allowed to serve customers outside since April 12. Pictured: Turtle Bay in Birmingham
Revellers in Birmingham enjoy a Saturday night out despite temperatures dipping after a day of warm sunshine
Pictured: Party-goers in Leeds enjoy the sunshine as they hit the streets to celebrate the second weekend since rules eased
Giddy-up: People were overjoyed at being able to reunite with friends and family as pubs and restaurants reopen outside
Cheers: Drinkers in Leeds headed to bars and beer gardens to enjoy the sun during the second weekend since rules eased
All restrictions are expected to be lifted in June with pubs and restaurants expected to welcome customers inside no earlier than next month.
Meanwhile, the latest figures show Britain’s coronavirus cases are continuing to drop two weeks after lockdown was eased on April 12.
The Government said there had been a further 2,061 lab-confirmed cases in the UK – a drop of 7 per cent compared to last week’s figure of 2,206.
In further good news, only 32 new deaths from the disease were recorded – an eight per cent drop on last Saturday’s figure of 35.
The new cases data means 4,403,170 have been infected since the pandemic began last year, while 127,417 have now died within 28 days of having a positive coronavirus test.
The ongoing drop comes two weeks after lockdown restrictions were eased.
Pictured: Revellers enjoying a glass of wine in Leeds as the second weekend since pubs reopened got underway
Pictured: Waiters serve people eating and drinking at outside tables on Saturday evening in Soho, central London
It means Britons have been able to flock to pubs, bars and restaurants for outdoor dining and other non-essential retailers, such as hair salons, also opened their doors once again.
There had been fears that the easing in the rules would see a spike in cases and deaths but, so far, this has not happened.
Leading scientists are calling on the Government to remove all coronavirus restrictions and allow people to ‘take back control of their own lives’ when the ‘roadmap’ to freedom ends in June.
With real-world data showing vaccines reduce the risk of death by 98 per cent and hospitalisations by more than 80 per cent, the experts say Covid-19 is being turned into a ‘mild’ disease in Britain, akin to the flu.
In an open letter to The Mail on Sunday, they criticise ‘confused and contradictory’ messages from Ministers and scientific advisers about the virus, which they say are exaggerating the real threat.
One study, presented to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, found that out of 42,788 people who needed hospital treatment for Covid since December, only 32 were admitted three weeks or more after having their first dose.