Oxford has seen the reopening of indoor bars and restaurants in line with the relaxation of government restrictions. Groups of six are now allowed to mix indoors, following the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
One Oxford student enjoying cocktails at Freud, a bar in Jericho, said: “I feel like I have never been away. It was nice to have normality back and I feel like we’re on our way back to normal life. I enjoyed being warm inside rather than cold outside. It really makes you appreciate what we once considered normal!”
A spokesperson for Freud, which had previously opened outdoors, said: “We are really excited to have reopened the doors of Freud and it’s been incredible to see so many of our customers returning after our six-month hiatus! We took the opportunity to refresh Freud, opening new spaces, and can’t wait to be back in full swing and see everyone again.”
Similarly, the Oxford Union bar has opened indoors. They are “really pleased to be able to open up our Members bar, which has a great atmosphere already! We’re serving a wide range of drinks not to mention our homemade lunch menu daily from 11:30 to 2:30. We’ve also opened up the Goodman Library as an extension of the bar, so have more indoor bar capacity than we ever had before lockdown – we hope to see you there!”
As well as indoor hospitality, indoor exercise classes have restarted. A spokesperson for Oxford City Council said “bringing indoor group exercise back is a really positive step for people’s wellbeing and for our leisure industry.”
“Our leisure centres are in the heart of our residential areas, providing great value for communities, and we’re looking forward to the buzz next week when group exercise is back on the timetable.”
Image credit: Flora Dyson
