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Brits To Be ‘Allowed To Meet Up With A Friend For Coffee Outside’ On 8 March

Brits To Be ‘Allowed To Meet Up With A Friend For Coffee Outside’ On 8 March

A government source has said meeting up for a coffee or even a picnic outside could be permitted from early next month

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

People may be permitted to sit on a park bench and have a coffee with a pal, or even enjoy a little picnic, by 8 March, according to a new report.

A government source has said these outdoor restrictions will be the first to be eased as the UK heads out of lockdown.

Speaking to the Sun, the source said: "One of his first steps will be to relax the rules on people mixing outside.

PA

"The PM thinks there should be no harm in two adults sitting on a park bench to enjoy a coffee and a chat.

"It's a small but important step - one he hopes will start to raise people's spirits."

Now we just have to hope the weather cheers up, eh?

According to the report, the new rules will mean people can stop to have a drink and a chat on a park bench or a picnic with people from their own household or one other person.

However, the mixing of households will still not be allowed.

Yesterday, the Sun reported that the government was keen to get pubs and restaurants with outdoor spaces back open to serve outdoor food and drinks in April.

An unnamed government source told the paper: "We will hopefully be sipping pints in the spring sunshine sooner rather than later."

The report comes after the UK's R rate fell below one for the first time since July.

A minister told The Sun: "It is all going well. The rates are coming down, the numbers are looking good. We are on course for the roadmap.

PA

"Outdoor ventilation is key. There are new mutations of the virus, but nothing changes how it spreads."

But before we get ahead of ourselves, it's important to remember we are still in a pandemic and a fellow minister warned the newspaper that lockdown restrictions would be eased gradually this time around, to avoid a sudden rise in new cases.

They said: "Things won't reopen as quickly as some may want.

"We will be cautious, opening one thing to see how it goes before moving to the next."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News