The easing of rules means non-essential shops, hairdressers, outdoor hospitality venues, nail salons, libraries, gyms and other outdoor attractions are now allowed to reopen to the public. The relaxations have seen people flock back to beer gardens and wait patiently in seemingly endless queues for some much needed retail therapy in celebration of their new-found freedom. Here’s a look at how the easing of restrictions was marked across England on 12 April.
1. Non-esential shops
Non-essentials stores reopened in England on 12 April, with thousands of shoppers flocking to retail outlets across the country, seeing queues form from early in the morning. Photo: Finnbarr Webster
2. Primark
Thousands of people flocked to Primark for its grand reopening, with shoppers pictured in huge queues as they waited to be allowed inside in stores around England. Photo: Christopher Furlong
3. Beer gardens
Outdoor hospitality venues welcomed customers back on 12 April, with punters pictured enjoying a pub pint for the first time in months. Photo: Finnbarr Webster
4. Beer gardens
Beer gardens were bustling with customers on Monday as people braced the cold weather to return to pubs across England. Photo: TOLGA AKMEN