Revellers crowded into bars in London, Newcastle, Leeds and Liverpool to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend as diners are allowed to eat and drink indoors for the first time since the third lockdown was eased.
Groups of young women dressed to impress as they posed for photos, queued to get into bars early and even performed back flips on the second weekend that restrictions were relaxed.
Though nightclubs remain closed, pubs and bars are drawing crowds of friends – in stark contrast to the early May Bank Holiday, when hospitality firms were still unable to properly reopen to punters.
Jubilant scenes come amid increasing concerns that the Indian variant is surging in parts of England after daily cases surpassed 4,000 on Friday, for the first time since early April.
However, ministers were expecting infections to rise as lockdown was eased, while No10 is hoping that the vaccine roll-out will prevent infections leading to serious illness and death.
Revellers crowded into bars in Liverpool (pictured) to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend as diners are allowed to eat and drink indoors for the first time since the third lockdown was eased
Groups of young women (pictured: two girls in Manchester) dressed to impress as they posed for photos and queued to get into bars early on the second weekend that restrictions were relaxed
The weekend proved tiring for two people in Leeds (pictured), who appeared to take a quick nap on a bench during their night out
A group of friends pose as they enjoy a night out on the town in Leeds city centre at the start of the bank holiday weekend
Huge numbers of revellers sitting outside pubs and bars in Soho, central London as they see in the Bank Holiday weekend
Revellers in Newcastle enjoy a night out as they kick off the barmy May Bank Holiday weekend
A couple of loved-up partygoers cuddled together on the streets of Leeds on Friday night on the first day of the long weekend
A group of friends in high heels pose for photos as they go out in Leeds as they see in the Bank Holiday weekend
Friends are seeing walking through Soho, central London as they enjoy drinks and dinner at the start of the weekend
There were wild and raucous scenes across the country as people made up for lost time by partying the night away with friends
Two friends walk through Leeds without their shoes as they enjoy drinks as they see in the Bank Holiday weekend
Revellers in Newcastle kicked off the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, which has promised to see temperatures soaring, by glamming up to visit pubs and clubs
Two women sat down on steps and checked their phone, while one of the girls removed her heels, as they hit the pubs and clubs in Newcastle on Friday evening
A crowd of boys chant and cheers as they enjoy a night out on the town in Leeds at the start of the bank holiday weekend
A group of friends pose for photos as they enjoy a night out in Newcastle as they see in the Bank Holiday weekend
Jumping for joy! A group of friends leap in the air during a night out in Newcastle on Friday
A group of friends pose for photos as they enjoy a night out in Newcastle as they see in the Bank Holiday weekend
Revellers were out in force in Leeds on Friday evening as the post-lockdown celebrations continued long into the night
A woman takes a swig from her bottle as she walks through Leeds city centre with her friends on a busy Friday night
Two friends enjoy an intimate moment on a bench as they enjoy a night out on the town in Leeds at the start of the bank holiday weekend
Revellers in Newcastle visited bars and restaurants on Osborne Road, Jesmond, as the UK’s Spring Bank Holiday weekend kicked off on Friday night
A woman gets lifted up onto her friend’s shoulder as they enjoy a night out on the town in Leeds at the start of the bank holiday weekend
A group of women all dressed in matching plaid skirts, white shirts and visors as they visited bars and restaurants in Newcastle on Friday
Covid marshals and police are seen outside the Prince Edward theatre in London while revellers enjoy drinks in Soho
A young reveller wears oversized green sunglasses as she poses for a photo with a friend on the streets of Newcastle on Friday
Three friends link arms as they enjoy a night out on the town in Leeds city centre at the start of the bank holiday weekend
Revellers kick start the Spring Bank Holiday weekend by enjoying a Friday night out in Newcastle tonight around the pubs and clubs
Revellers make the most of the Bank Holiday weekend in Liverpool
Revellers kick start the Spring Bank Holiday weekend by enjoying a Friday night out in Newcastle tonight around the pubs and clubs
Revellers kick start the Spring Bank Holiday weekend by enjoying a Friday night out in Newcastle tonight around the pubs and clubs
A woman carried a bottle and her shoes during a night out on the town in Leeds at the start of the bank holiday weekend
A reveller performs a back flip on a night out in Newcastle on Friday night
Revellers kick start the Spring Bank Holiday weekend by enjoying a Friday night out in Newcastle tonight around the pubs and clubs
On Friday night, women who appeared to be in fancy dress visited the bars and restaurants on Osborne Road in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne
A group of friends dressed to impressed head out in Newcastle tonight to kick start the Spring Bank Holiday weekend
Groups of people sat under the shelter of umbrellas in Soho on the Bank Holiday weekend, which promises to see temperatures soar
People in Newcastle started the Spring Bank Holiday celebrations early with an outdoor drink in the sunshine on Friday afternoon
A group of friends started the Bank Holiday weekend early on Friday as they enjoyed a drink in Newcastle outdoors
People in Newcastle started the Spring Bank Holiday celebrations early on Friday with an outdoor drink in the sunshine
Friday night revellers enjoy bars and restaurants on Osborne Road in Jesmond, Newcastle
Revellers sit on the floor in Newcastle as they see in the May Bank Holiday weekend
Friday night revellers enjoy bars and restaurants on Osborne Road in Jesmond, Newcastle
Friends in Liverpool posed for photos as they head out to pubs and bars to see in the May Bank Holiday
Revellers kick start the Spring Bank Holiday weekend by enjoying a Friday night out in Newcastle tonight around the pubs and clubs
Jubilant scenes (pictured in Newcastle) come amid increasing concerns that the Indian variant is surging in parts of England after daily cases surpassed 4,000 on Friday, for the first time since early April
A group of people enjoyed an evening out eating and drinking in Soho on Friday
One woman backflipped in delight as she enjoyed a Friday night out in Newcastle as Covid restrictions eased
Friday night revellers enjoy bars and restaurants on Osborne Road in Jesmond, Newcastle
Friday night revellers gathered in Soho on Friday night ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend