As the weekend approaches, people are now able to go for a – socially-distanced – night on the tiles after the Prime Minister announced the reopening of pubs, bars and restaurants.

But the worry is that people will flock to them at the first chance of freedom.

Cumbria police are expecting a busy weekend, similar to a busy bank holiday, and are being forced to put extra patrols on to help tackle any public order offences as there is no law to enforce social distancing.

This weekend will see pubs, bars and restaurants reopening that have been closed since the pandemic triggered the lockdown. However, there will still be restrictions in place designed to protect people from infection.

Many premises will have a reduced capacity to allow for social distancing and some will require the public to book a place. Customers are advised it is important people plan ahead and consider making contact with businesses before arriving to check on any special arrangements.

Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Slattery, chairman of Cumbria’s Local Resilience Forum, said: “We expect that the weekend will be like a busy bank holiday as people are desperate to get out but we want to make sure people adhere to social distancing and keep safe.

“We will have extra patrols round key locations, such as Botchergate, where there will be a larger number of people.

“There are no laws covering social distancing, however we plan to engage with the public and remind them that Covid-19 is still here.

“We will also be monitoring licensed premises who have strict rules about opening and being Covid-safe, and if they do not comply they could risk their licence.

“It is also important to remind people about travelling to and from pubs, bars and restaurants as you must wear a mask when using public transport such as the bus or train.”

“We’re also urging people to consider their own personal safety.

"The vast majority of people who go out are responsible but we know some people may drink to excess and become vulnerable to harm or indeed cause harm to others.

“The key advice is to know your limits, plan your day and consider how you will get home safely. Anti-social and criminal behaviour is not acceptable. We are working with partners to maximise safety and cut crime.”

Planning to closely monitor the situation, Colin Cox, Cumbria’s director of public health, said: “Where possible, we should continue to stay two metres apart or ‘one metre plus’ additional safety precautions, such as wearing a face covering, when it is not always possible to stay two metres apart.

“Together we’ve managed to lower the infection rate across Cumbria; for the sake of all our key workers, friends and family members and those who have sadly passed away, let’s not allow the virus to come roaring back.”