LONDON (Reuters) – Finally, people were allowed to drink in a pub, eat in a restaurant or cut their hair on Saturday for the first time in more than three months, as England took its biggest steps until the resumption of normal life.
A worker carries a beer at The Holland Tringham Wetherspoons pub after its reopening following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Great Britain, July 4, 2020. REUTERS / Hannah McKay
Pubs were allowed to start serving at 6 a.m., raising concerns of excessive leniency on what the media called a “Super Saturday” of reducing coronavirus restrictions. Some hairdressers reportedly opened at midnight.
In another relaxation of the closing rules that were first imposed in late March, two households can now meet indoors as long as social distancing is maintained and overnight stays are allowed.
The Sun newspaper predicted that 15 million pints (8.5 million liters) of beer would sink in England on Saturday, although some pub visitors may be deterred by an unstable weather forecast.
Police said they were “absolutely ready” for the reopening of the pubs, while hospitals were warned to prepare for a New Year’s Eve-style weekend.
“There is an element of decompression going on, particularly with younger people who have had some very responsible parents supporting them for the past few weeks,” Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones told BBC radio.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on people to behave responsibly and respect social distancing regulations, as the risk of a coronavirus resurgence remains. But he also emphasized the importance of supporting companies.
“The success of these businesses, the livelihood of those who trust them and, ultimately, the economic health of the entire country depends on each of us acting responsibly,” he said at a press conference on Friday. “We must not disappoint them.”
The changes to Saturday’s rules apply only to England, as the delegated nations in the United Kingdom (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) have set their own hours to ease blocking restrictions.
Pub lovers will find the atmosphere quite different from the usual Saturday night scrum.
Numbers will be limited, no one will be able to stand at the bar and there will be no live music. Users will also have to give their details to allow trackers to identify them if someone tests positive later.
JD Wetherspoon (JDW.L), one of the largest chains, said it had invested £ 11m ($ 13.7m) in security measures. Most of its bars in England opened at the usual time of 8 am. She is not taking reservations, but said that at peak times the numbers would be controlled by staff.
Reports by Paul Sandle and James Davey; Edition of Stephen Addison and Frances Kerry
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