- Liverpool, England, was awash with partygoers breaking social-distancing rules during the first weekend in which the UK allowed pubs to reopen.
- Some bars also played loud music until the early hours against government guidelines.
- We captured pictures of the bedlam.
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Liverpool, one of England’s biggest cities, was awash with partygoers breaking social-distancing rules during the first weekend in which the country eased more of its coronavirus lockdown rules.
As of Saturday, pubs and restaurants were allowed to start serving customers for more than just to-go orders, but the government said social-distancing measures, including people staying 1 meter apart, must be enforced.
Other measures the government suggested included keeping music volume low to keep people from needing to shout or get too close, controlling access to the bathrooms, and not allowing customers to stand and drink.
With people itching to get out after three months of confinement, I traveled to Liverpool to see whether the rules were being both imposed and followed.
The short answer: They weren't.
During the afternoon, bars were relatively quiet and the rules were, for the most part, adhered to.
There were plenty of sanitization stations, and places allowed only table service to help avoid contact between guests.
Many places were also collecting personal data upon entry to help with contact tracing.
But as the evening went on and more drinks were consumed, rules largely went out the window.
People turned out in masses at Concert Square, the popular nightlife spot with tons of bars and restaurants.
I didn't see anyone socially distancing in queues, while those working the door just watched.
Plenty of police officers were present, but I didn't see them doing anything to help enforce the rules.
Bars were blasting loud music, forcing people to stand close and talk in one another's ears. Just one minute of loud speech can produce more than 1,000 droplets containing the coronavirus, according to a study published in May.
Source: Business Insider
This went on until the early hours of the morning.
It turned out, as it always does, to be too much for some.
But most people seemed content drinking the night away.
Fortunately, there were still some quiet spots, including the beautiful Liverpool docks, where I retreated for a look around to escape the chaos.
