Drinkers enjoy carnival atmosphere on first night out after lockdown measures ease

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Don't miss a thing by getting the latest from the Manchester Evening News sent direct to your inbox It’s a chilly Monday evening in April but in the Northern Quarter it feels like a Saturday night in July.

The pubs have reopened and Manchester is determined to make the most of this next step back to normality. Parts of the city feel like one huge beer garden, and there’s an almost carnival atmosphere as pals meet up for the first time in months, workmates nip out for a drink after their shift, and people enjoy a pint that hasn’t been poured out of a supermarket can.

Outside the bars on Edge Street and Thomas Street, there are long queues for tables that are as rare as hens’ teeth. In Stevenson Square, a bearded man in a baseball cap bumps