Astonishing scenes were enacted in Central London at the weekend. The city seems to have flipped straight out of total lockdown into total abandon.
On Sunday, I paid my first visit to the West End after five months of lockdown to find a complete turnaround in sentiment. Two weeks ago, the streets were deserted. All business, except for essentials, were shuttered. Last Monday, however, non-essential businesses, including cafes, restaurants and pubs, were permitted to open for the first time since before Christmas.
Seating and serving indoors still remain illegal. But this weekend, apparently, all caution was thrown to the winds, thanks to a big dose of sunshine and a pervading sense of light at the end of the tunnel.
Ever resourceful, local businesses in Soho have taken to the streets, with official connivance judging by the anti-terrorism traffic barriers. Many roads in popular areas such as Soho were closed to traffic. Bars and restaurants turned themselves inside out and were serving thousands at tables in the middle of the street. As far as I could see, social distancing has been abandoned and mask-wearing is now a minority pursuit. It is a complete contrast to the suburbs where I live and where precautions are still being observed.
While all this is perhaps understandable, particularly with the sun shining and temperatures rising, I can’t help wondering if such a rapid volte-face is entirely wise. We have to wait until mid-May before hospitality can return inside, but the mood on the streets is definitely more VE Day than D-Day.
Over the weekend, some scientists have been proclaiming the end of the pandemic in England, suggesting that Covid has now become endemic and can be controlled by vaccination and herd immunity.
I am not convinced, however, as Covid variants rage in other parts of the world. Perhaps it isn’t entirely wise to be writing off the pandemic just yet. The government and its advisors are well aware of this pitfall and are taking a very cautious approach, having been bitten before by early relaxation of precautions. Nevertheless, the government has been accused of scaremongering and unnecessary prolonging of the restrictions.
One commentator suggested that the establishment, having glimpsed that light at the end of the tunnel, is busy extending the tunnel.
Meanwhile, back in suburbia…
It is probably wise to be cautious and attempt to offset the increasing popular euphoria. Two-thirds of British adults have been vaccinated, but there’s still a long way to go (the other third, for instance, not to mention the under-18s). Let’s hope we don’t regret such an abrupt unlocking of the cell doors.
Pictures taken with the Sony RX100 Mk VI
A cup of coffee works wonders in supporting Macfilos
Did you know that Macfilos is run by a dedicated team of volunteers? We rely on donations to help pay our running costs. And even the cost of a cup of coffee will do wonders for our energy levels.
It’s a fad, probably. Over the last year I’ve tried out supermarkets two or three times and found them smelly and chaotic. So I’ll stick to home delivery from now on.
The same will happen with pubs, we might try them again for reasons of nostalgia, but then realise that it’s just going back to expensive drink in seedy surroundings.
Restaurants might be different, but let’s can the low grade eateries in shopping centres. If you want to eat out, go somewhere decent. If you just want a snack buy an energy bar, or even a Gregg’s pasty.
Times have changed for the better.
You were courageous to mix with the crowd,something I would not do in these times
Well, I was wearing my mask and I’ve had both vaccination doses. We can’t stay isolated for every, but I do still take basic precautions. Judging by the figures, though, there is hardly any infection in London at the moment, so I suspect it isn’t that dangerous.
While it is really nice to have some freedoms, and to see a little life returning to the streets. I would agree with your caution, I do not know any scientists in my space that are stating we are out of the woods. In reality, most are talking about what may come to be for next winter.
In addition, regardless of the vaccine, history on these things does not give us a pretty show, and usually nature has several of these waves, although they usually get smaller in size as the tide (new virus) comes in. You can see I am a coastal lover.
For me, if we are all careful, take things cautiously and keep each other safe – then perhaps we will get by without significant implications – but who knows, the virus has deceived us all at each turn of the game – like a well oiled poker player, this is one hand I would prefer not to bet on.
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Mike, what do you do to your photos before posting them here? ..Somehow the edge contrast, or ‘micro-contrast’, seems to be missing from these ..as if they need a bit of edge sharpening or some kind of extra ‘definition’.
There’s lots pdf detail here, but it all seems to be just ever-so-slightly ‘smudged’ and a bit ‘flat’ looking – especially that first ‘Mary Poppins’ pic ..or else I’d just better get new glasses!
Nothing much. It was a rush job and I toned down the highlights and brought up the detail. I didn’t have JPEGs to fall back on, so these are just quickly processed raw files.
Glad you folks got some relief! Sunshine always welcome! On your RX is that model more menu friendly than the A series cameras. I love that Magnumphotog Matt Black and what he does with his, RX.
No, it has the usual Sony menu.