English shops and pub gardens reopen as lockdown eases

People queue outside a shop as the Covid-19 restrictions in London, Britain are eased on April 12, 2021. [Reuters]]

People queued up outside retailers across England for the better part of Monday to release their pent-up shopping fever and some grabbed a midnight pint or even an early haircut as England’s shops, pubs, gyms and hairdressers reopened after three months of lockdown.

After imposing more restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the reopening was a “major step” towards freedom but urged people to behave responsibly as the coronavirus was still a threat.