English Pubs, Clubs And Shops Rediscover Lost Freedoms

Thirsty punters, spendthrift shoppers and jubilant clubbers toasted England's "freedom day" easing of Covid restrictions on Monday, even as many others saw little to celebrate

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2021 ) :Thirsty punters, spendthrift shoppers and jubilant clubbers toasted England's "freedom day" easing of Covid restrictions on Monday, even as many others saw little to celebrate.

The end to limits on social mixing came as a relief to the hospitality, retail and events industries after more than a year of meagre takings.

The government says a mass vaccination campaign justifies the move, but a resurgence in virus cases has prompted widespread concern among scientists both at home and abroad.

Nightclubs had been shut since March 2020, and many reopened at the stroke of midnight. For those filling Bar Fibre in the northern city of Leeds in the early hours, the experience was exhilarating.

"This is a special moment, this is freedom," the DJ announced as revellers took to the dance floor and the club sprayed showers of confetti.

"People are treating it like a special occasion, a New Year's Eve type of affair. Freedom Eve is what we're calling it," said Bar Fibre owner Terry George, dressed in a black sequinned tuxedo.

George handed out single-use masks on the dance floor, but wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces is no longer a legal requirement in England, and there were few takers.

A beaming Lorna Feeley, 44, said she was "absolutely ecstatic" to be going out again. "That is my life, my soul, I love dancing." Peter Marks, chief executive of Rekom, which operates 42 late-night bars and clubs, told Sky news that clubs do not deserve their reputation as potentially "super-spreader" settings.

He argued that clubs have "amazing ventilation", due to the fact that previously people smoked inside and shows included pyrotechnics.

But researchers for a government pilot programme of test events found that two indoor dance nights in Liverpool, with more than 3,000 attending in April and May, did have poor ventilation.

There were sustained higher levels of carbon dioxide from dancers' breathing by the stage, their report said, calling this a "cause for concern".

However, there was also only a handful of Covid infections registered after the test events.