The capacity of public parks and outdoor facilities to accommodate socially distanced sunbathers is likely to be tested on Wednesday with what is predicted to be the hottest weather of the year so far.
The Met Office predicts temperatures could reach 29C in south-east England, topping the year’s previous hottest day when 26C was recorded at Treknow, Cornwall on 10 April.
There were people sunbathing alongside the Thames in central London and dozens headed to the beach at Margate, while golfers headed back on to courses and people queued up for outdoor food markets.
Coming just over a week after Boris Johnson announced the easing of lockdown restrictions that now permit people across England unlimited exercise outside, travel for exercise and limited outdoor socialising (with Scotland and Wales now also allowing outside exercise more than once a day, along with Northern Ireland where limited outdoor gatherings are permitted too), the warm weather will be a welcome relief to Britons who have been stuck inside for weeks.
However, the sunshine is a major test of the social distancing measures enforced by the government in England, which allow meeting up with one person from another household outdoors, as long as two metres distance is maintained.
In his announcement of lockdown easing measures – which came into effect on 13 May – Johnson said: “You can sit in the sun in your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own household.”
Local councils urged the public to keep social distancing, and issued reminders that many facilities, like outdoor pools and public toilets, remain closed. Police were spotted patrolling a number of parks to ensure people were abiding by the guidance.
Despite rules in England now stating that people are allowed to travel for exercise, many tourist hotspots have asked people to stay away and warned that attractions will remain closed.
Coastal towns also issued warnings reminding people that the majority of beaches are not currently lifeguarded, although sea swimming, paddle boarding, surfing, windsurfing, rowing, kayaking and canoeing are all now permitted as daily exercise in England.
HM Coastguard said it was called out nearly 200 times over the weekend, to incidents including inflatables drifting offshore, crashed jetskis and pleasure boats, and people injured while out walking or cycling along the coast.
The sunny weather isn’t predicted to last though, with thunderstorms predicted for Thursday. Met Office chief meteorologist, Paul Gundersen, said: “It is across east and south-east England where these are most likely, with frequent lightning, hail and torrential downpours of up to 40mm in a few hours all possible.”
• This article was amended on 21 May 2020 to clarify that the easing of restrictions across the UK with respect to exercise did not all follow from Boris Johnson’s announcement, which applied only to England; the three other nations of the UK issued their own adjustments to guidance as health is a devolved matter.
