There may have been hangovers but for most there were no regrets at their participation in the “Hogarthian hysteria”.
Revellers across England were recovering today after the first night of socialising in months. Crowds gathered outdoors in public places from Soho in London to Newcastle’s city centre, where, in a reminder of days of yore, inebriated partygoers were spotted lying on roads.
In Birmingham an ambulance was called to take away one woman who was found slumped on a pavement late last night.
In Manchester and Leeds people dressed in party outfits that had lain unused in wardrobes for months as they enjoyed their first night on the town since lockdown measures were imposed in January.
In London, several West End streets were closed to traffic between 5pm and 11pm to create outdoor seating areas as part of Westminster city council’s measures to support hospitality businesses.
Advertisement
Pictures and videos shared online show people packed on to tables laden with food and drinks, with several dozen more standing on the streets cheering the first night of pubs and bars reopening.
Attila Kulcsar, 54, a media communications manager, said that the crowds felt “like a return to the ‘real’ Soho of the 1990s”.
“Tonight’s atmosphere beats the whole of last summer . . . it really is like how I imagine VE Day,” he said. “It’s almost like watching Hogarth paintings come to life in 2021. There is a wonderfully raucous hysteria everywhere. It’s very celebratory.
“There is very little social distancing. A distinct sense that people feel the Covid restrictions have ended. There are lots of police around Soho as well as Covid marshals, but there is no word from them about social distancing . . . if anything they seem to be joining in the festivities.”
Westminster city council said that it was aware of “isolated incidents of crowding” and that it was working with businesses to ensure that they operated “responsibly and safely in line with guidance”.
Advertisement
The council said: “We have implemented a range of measures across Westminster to enable social distancing, including additional footway space and barriers. We also have Covid marshals and city inspectors working across the city to help businesses, support accessibility, social distancing and to respond to any issues.”
Earlier in the day, shoppers hit the high streets as non-essential retail reopened, while indoor gyms, swimming pools, nail salons and zoos also welcomed customers back.
Lawrence Young, a virologist and professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School, said that it was “a joyous day” but that people should remain cautious.
He said: “The current reduction in cases and hospitalisations is not only due to the success of the vaccine rollout but also the impact of lockdown in preventing virus spread.
“So while taking the opportunity to enjoy shopping and outside hospitality, we must remain cautious — the virus is still out there and very infectious. We can’t ignore what’s going on in the rest of the world. Every other day new variants are being reported and infection is rife.”
