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Shoppers have flocked to the high street today and restaurants and beer gardens on the first Saturday since lockdown restrictions were eased.
Pavements were packed across the country this morning as people returned to their favourite shops and met up with friends.
Oxford Street in London was heaving with people out enjoying the 53F (12C) sunshine in the capital, which is set to rise later this afternoon.
And shoppers descended onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne this afternoon, with little social distancing in sight.
Non-essential shops were reopened at the start of the week as Britain continued on Boris Johnson‘s roadmap out of lockdown.
![Shoppers hit Oxford Street on first weekend since lockdown rules were eased Shoppers hit Oxford Street on first weekend since lockdown rules were eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41869842-9481789-Shoppers_pack_the_pavements_of_Oxford_Street_in_London_today_on_-a-20_1618663093315.jpg)
Shoppers pack the pavements of Oxford Street in London today on the first Saturday since lockdown restrictions were eased in England
![Shoppers pack onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle on the first Saturday since lockdown restrictions eased and non essential shops reopened](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/14/41872302-9481789-image-a-44_1618664769614.jpg)
Shoppers pack onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle on the first Saturday since lockdown restrictions eased and non essential shops reopened
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41826946-9481789-image-a-22_1618663093325.jpg)
![Oxford Street in London was heaving with people out enjoying the 53F (12C) sunshine in the capital and meeting up with their friends](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41869840-9481789-Oxford_Street_in_London_was_heaving_with_people_out_enjoying_the-a-27_1618663093337.jpg)
Oxford Street in London was heaving with people out enjoying the 53F (12C) sunshine in the capital and meeting up with their friends
![Restaurants serve customers outside in Chinatown, London, as groups enjoy a Saturday meal out for the first time this year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41871828-9481789-image-a-37_1618664173497.jpg)
Restaurants serve customers outside in Chinatown, London, as groups enjoy a Saturday meal out for the first time this year
![People walk and queue outside restaurants in Chinatown, London, this afternoon on the first Saturday since lockdown restrictions were eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41871830-9481789-image-a-34_1618664123256.jpg)
People walk and queue outside restaurants in Chinatown, London, this afternoon on the first Saturday since lockdown restrictions were eased
![Queues stretched down the street in Mancesheter as customers waited to get into pub gardens on the first weekend since lockdown rules were eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/17/41882398-9481789-image-a-3_1618678734740.jpg)
Queues stretched down the street in Mancesheter as customers waited to get into pub gardens on the first weekend since lockdown rules were eased
![People enjoy the warm weather early this afternoon sitting on deck chairs outside pubs in Wimbledon, south London, where temperatures are set to reach 57F (14C) later today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41871592-9481789-image-a-30_1618663723639.jpg)
People enjoy the warm weather early this afternoon sitting on deck chairs outside pubs in Wimbledon, south London, where temperatures are set to reach 57F (14C) later today
Bars and restaurants were also allowed to welcome back customers outside and hairdressers and gyms opened their doors again as well.
Customers returned to outdoor restaurants in Chinatown in central London today with people enjoying a Saturday meal out for the first time this year.
And Newcastle’s main high street was jam packed with families and groups of friends perusing the newly opened stores.
Social distancing did not appear possible on the wide avenue as huge crowds of people took up all available space.
![Restaurants and beer gardens have been packed with customers as temperatures soared to 53F. Pictured: Group of friends in Manchester](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/17/41882400-9481789-image-a-2_1618678610414.jpg)
Restaurants and beer gardens have been packed with customers as temperatures soared to 53F. Pictured: Group of friends in Manchester
![Crowds of people friends sitting with friends in the afternoon sunshine on Wimbledon Common as they take advantage of the warm temperatures after coronavirus lockdown measures were eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/18/41882778-9481789-image-a-10_1618679512757.jpg)
Crowds of people friends sitting with friends in the afternoon sunshine on Wimbledon Common as they take advantage of the warm temperatures after coronavirus lockdown measures were eased
![People read the newspapers and enjoy takeaway beers on deck chairs outside pubs in Wimbledon, south London, this afternoon](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41871594-9481789-image-a-33_1618663804369.jpg)
People read the newspapers and enjoy takeaway beers on deck chairs outside pubs in Wimbledon, south London, this afternoon
![Members of the public making the most of the sunny weather in Primrose Hill, north London, earlier today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/18/41882892-9481789-image-a-14_1618679588731.jpg)
Members of the public making the most of the sunny weather in Primrose Hill, north London, earlier today
One onlooker said: ‘I am shocked. This time last week the place was a ghost town. Today, you can barely move for the shoppers.’
The Met Office is forecasting sunny spells and highs of 57F (14C) in England later today, as people begin to fill out their reservations in pub beer gardens.
The mercury is set to rise to 61F (16C) on Sunday and possibly even higher in parts of Scotland on what is expected to be a dry weekend for much of the UK.
But there will still be overnight frosts — and temperatures will be nowhere near the highs seen during the mini-heatwave a fortnight ago which brought the hottest March day in 53 years with 76.1F (24.5C) recorded in London.
It comes as the first sporting event to be attended by fans also kicked off today, with Crucible Theatre in Sheffield is a third full for the opening session of the World Snooker Championship.
![The Met Office forecast sunny spells and highs of 57F (14C) in England today as people gathered in green spaces across the country including Wimbledon Common (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/18/41882776-9481789-image-a-7_1618679392254.jpg)
The Met Office forecast sunny spells and highs of 57F (14C) in England today as people gathered in green spaces across the country including Wimbledon Common (pictured)
![Shoppers descend onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne this afternoon, with little social distancing in sight](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/14/41872304-9481789-image-a-51_1618665335083.jpg)
Shoppers descend onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne this afternoon, with little social distancing in sight
![Shoppers queue outside the Lego store in Leicester Square, London, as the sun shines down on the capital this Saturday afternoon](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41871832-9481789-image-a-40_1618664190922.jpg)
Shoppers queue outside the Lego store in Leicester Square, London, as the sun shines down on the capital this Saturday afternoon
![Tables pack out outside My Place in Soho, central London, this afternoon on the first weekend since lockdown restrictions were eased to allow restaurants to reopen](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41871834-9481789-image-a-38_1618664181139.jpg)
Tables pack out outside My Place in Soho, central London, this afternoon on the first weekend since lockdown restrictions were eased to allow restaurants to reopen
![Fans have returned to a live sporting event in the UK for the World Snooker Championship. The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield welcomed around 300 spectators for the first session](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41866960-9481789-Fans_have_returned_to_a_live_sporting_event_in_the_UK_for_the_Wo-a-21_1618663093323.jpg)
Fans have returned to a live sporting event in the UK for the World Snooker Championship. The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield welcomed around 300 spectators for the first session
![Revellers squared up to each other in London's Soho this evening as a row broke out over table reservations at some venues](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/16/21/41849950-9480193-Revellers_squared_up_to_each_other_in_London_s_Soho_this_evening-a-85_1618605227122.jpg)
Revellers squared up to each other in London’s Soho this evening as a row broke out over table reservations at some venues
![Police detain a man after an argument, as people party in London's Soho district as lockdown restrictions are eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/00/41856144-9480193-image-a-154_1618615059609.jpg)
Police detain a man after an argument, as people party in London’s Soho district as lockdown restrictions are eased
![Revellers out in Newcastle city centre yesterday evening on the first Friday night since lockdown restrictions were eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41854658-9481789-Revellers_out_in_Newcastle_city_centre_yesterday_evening_on_the_-a-24_1618663093328.jpg)
Revellers out in Newcastle city centre yesterday evening on the first Friday night since lockdown restrictions were eased
![Police calm down revellers out in Soho, London, last night on the first Friday night since people were allowed to return to pubs](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41864806-9481789-Police_calm_down_revellers_out_in_Soho_London_last_night_on_the_-a-25_1618663093330.jpg)
Police calm down revellers out in Soho, London, last night on the first Friday night since people were allowed to return to pubs
![A group of young women enjoying their night out in Manchester city centre, on the first Friday since restrictions were eased](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/04/17/13/41855550-9481789-A_group_of_young_women_enjoying_their_night_out_in_Manchester_ci-a-26_1618663093332.jpg)
A group of young women enjoying their night out in Manchester city centre, on the first Friday since restrictions were eased
It is the first of a series of test events on the road to a return to normality at sports events, with tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final between Leicester City and Southampton at Wembley set to be watched by 4,000 fans.
And last night experts estimated that around five million pints were poured as Brits enjoyed their first Friday night out since pubs reopened.
Scuffles broke out over table reservations as revellers packed their local outdoor bars.
But tensions boiled over in some areas, with police having to intervene amid violent scenes in London’s Soho at the start of the night as drinkers clashed, with some detained from officers.
It was the first opportunity for people to wine and dine with friends and family in six months, with November being the last time revellers could enjoy outdoor hospitality.
Experts estimated around 500,000 bottles of wine were drunk by an estimated 1.5million people across 20,000 restaurants nationwide.
It means alcohol sales are likely to be double those on a normal Friday night as Britons celebrate their newfound freedom.
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