Hospitality & retail outlets reopen as NI takes major step out of lockdown
Eager shoppers have been queuing for hours 🛍
Last updated 30th Apr 2021
Northern Ireland has taken a major stride out of lockdown as many hospitality and retail outlets reopened their doors after four months of closure.
Publicans, cafe owner and restaurateurs are now able to trade outdoors, while all non-essential retailers can pull their shutters up once again.
There were long queues outside popular retail outlets such as Primark in Belfast from early on Friday morning as hundreds of shoppers returned to the city centre.
As more economic wheels started turning, Health Minister Robin Swann announced that the region's vaccine programme is now open to the 30-34 age group.
Some limited appointments for people in that cohort will be available at the mass vaccination centre at Belfast's SSE Arena.
Economy Minister Diane Dodds welcomed the relaxations on an early morning visit to Belfast's Victoria Square shopping centre.
Mrs Dodds also highlighted that the Stormont Executive's delayed high street voucher scheme is set to start operating at the end of the summer, with every adult in Northern Ireland eligible for a #100 prepaid card to spend in the local retail sector.
"Today's a really good day for the economy,'' she said.
"Our shops are opening, our hospitality is able to open outdoors, our self-contained accommodation is opening, we're announcing the high street voucher scheme.''
Mrs Dodds added that "1.4 million people in Northern Ireland will be entitled to a prepaid card, which will give them #100 to spend in the shops, it's an investment in local businesses, in local shops here in Northern Ireland.
"This is a huge investment in the high street, in retail, because retail has suffered enormously during the pandemic, and with this almost vicious cycle of lockdowns.''
Licensed and unlicensed hospitality premises can now serve customers in outdoors settings in groups of six from no more than two householders.
It means publicans and restauranteurs who have outdoor space can resume operating.
Curfews on takeaways and off-licences have been removed while gyms and swimming pools can reopen for individual activities.
Eager shoppers have been queuing for hours :
After 17 long weeks of waiting, shoppers started to queue outside Primark stores across Northern Ireland from the early hours of this morning.
Pictured: Castle Street
Shoppers emerge from Primark on Castle Street grinning from ear to ear...behind their masks.
Queues for Primark weave through the capital city's streets.
Nathan Murphy pictured setting up the outdoor bar at Cargo by Vertigo which opens today at midday.
Gyms were also allowed to reopen today. Sean Harris and Brian Magee pictured here at Magee Health & Fitness, Belfast
Darren Mince at Magee Health & Fitness Belfast
Leah Matthews at The White Lighthouse Interiors and Furniture prepares her business for reopening at the Hanwood Business Centre in east Belfast.
City centre's Bullitt Hotel deep cleans their outdoor bar/restaurant in preparation for today's reopening.
One-way system is now in place throughout Victoria Square, Belfast
Steven Simpson pictured during final day preparations at Rio and Brazil in Belfast.
Businesses have put in place specific socially distancing guidelines for customers in-store.
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