England, Wales and Scotland have started the next phase of their reopening on Monday May 17, allowing indoor dining and cinemas and theater to welcome back customers and friends and families to hug each other again.

Mushtaq Tappewale, the director of Republic, an Indian restaurant in west London, says he's relieved he can finally open the door of his venue to customers.

His 40-seat restaurant was meant to reopen in December, but that's when the UK went into its second lockdown.

Tappewale wasn't able to put his nine staff on furlough, as he had a new business and didn't meet the criteria. Fortunately take-away orders during lockdown enabled him to keep paying his staff - and rent.

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Tappewale says he's "happy, excited and nervous" to be back in business.

In central London the first morning of new restrictions brought wet weather and a subdued atmosphere. Some cafes and restaurants were busy but most people still chose to eat and drink outside.

Even indoors there are still COVID-19 restrictions. You can only meet six people inside and from now more than two households in England.

The hospitality industry has lost over $110 billion over the last year and more than 8 and a half thousand hospitality businesses have closed.

But there are growing concerns about the variant first identified in India, which is reported to be spreading across parts of the UK, prompting the British government to start surge testing in cities like Bolton. 

The government says it could delay the next phase of reopening on June 21.

We're keen to make sure that the Indian variant doesn't knock us off course," said London's Mayor Sadiq Khan.

"That's why I'm hoping the government moves to vaccinate younger Londoners sooner."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the government is keeping the Indian variant "under close observation" and "taking swift action where infection rates are rising."

Scientists believe the Indian variant spreads more easily, but that vaccines still work.

A member of the government's independent scientific advisory group Sage, Sir Jeremy Farrar, says lifting the current lockdown rules was the "most difficult policy decision of the last 15 months."

Also on Monday museums, theaters and cinemas reopened, as well as hotels and holiday accommodation. 

In England outdoor gatherings are allowed but they're limited to 30.

_{Cover image: Niklas Halle'n/AFP}