The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
‘Great to get out – there is a buzz about the place again’
Residents and tourists braved chilly temperatures to catch up with friends at bars and restaurants across Inverness.
Jennifer Johnstone was joined by parents Ann and Jim for lunch in La Tortilla restaurant.
Miss Johnstone said: “It’s really great to get out and see other people around the place. It’s getting a buzz about it again.”
Her father said: “Everywhere has been quite insistent on the track and trace, so it is feeling really very safe.”
Mrs Johnstone said: “I wasn’t sure how I would feel to be honest, just because we haven’t been out in such a long time.
“But we’ve had both vaccinations so we’re probably feeling slightly more confident than we would have otherwise.”
Meaghan Cairny and Charles Banon travelled from Glasgow to visit friends.
The group were enjoying the brief interlude of sunshine in the outdoor seating of the Castle Tavern.
Ms Cairny said: “We’re up visiting friends and it’s been really good.
“It’s proving hard to get into a table at the moment but we’ve managed so far and the safety measures have been excellent.”
Mr Banon added: “The weather has been great. We booked this to coincide with lockdown easing so it’s been really great.”
Graeme, Nicola and Kieran Anderson travelled from Markinch in Fife to catch up with friend David Baker.
Mr Anderson said: “We booked this months ago, hoping it would all be OK.
“We were here just before last lockdown and it was the first place we wanted to come back to.
“Absolutely no problems whatsoever being here because all the pubs are playing the game with track and trace. Everyone is sticking to the rules.”