PUBS ENJOY THAT FRIDAY FEELING
Capital’s pubs and restaurants rediscover that Friday feeling
THERE were busy scenes outside Cardiff city centre’s pubs and restaurants over the weekend as Wales marked the first Friday and Saturday since pubs and restaurants were allowed to reopen.
As coronavirus regulations continue to ease across the nation, pubs – for the first time this year – have been allowed to open outdoors since last Monday. It made for bustling scenes in the heart of the capital on a long-awaited first Friday night out for months.
A sign outside one pub read: “We are back baby”, and even a dip in temperature didn’t stop people coming out to celebrate.
There were queues outside venues as people wrapped up to enjoy the start of the bank holiday weekend.
They were last able to go to a pub or eat at a restaurant before Christmas but then there were restrictions on the times they were allowed to be open and alcohol sales.
There are still some rules in place like having to stay seated at all times and having to wear face masks when you get up to move.
In all hospitality premises, licensed and non-licensed, it is also mandatory to collect contact information for staff and adults aged 18 and over. That means providing name, telephone number, date of visit, and arrival and departure time.
If the infection rate remains low people in Wales will be able to have a drink inside a pub or restaurant for the first time in more than five months from May 17.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has said the relaxation of a number of lockdown rules had been moved forward because of falling Covid rates.
On Friday he confirmed gyms will be allowed to re-open from today and two households can meet indoors as Wales moves to alert level three.
Mr Drakeford said: “The public health situation continues to improve and our vaccination programme remains a success. Thanks to the efforts of people across Wales we are in a position to further ease the restrictions in the way we have previously signalled to allow more elements of normal life to return.”
The current infection rate in Wales now stands at 10.8 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days up to April 26.