Crowds have appeared to stay away from Manchester this ‘Mad Friday’ amid caution over the spread of coronavirus.
Revellers usually pack out pubs, clubs and restaurants on the last Friday before Christmas Eve.
But with growing concern about the spread of the Omicron Covid variant, nightspots across the city centre have so far been quieter than usual.
READ MORE: 'We're exhausted, broke and broken': Taproom boss' plea to support pubs before they disappear
Around the Northern Quarter, bars have customers inside, but most have plenty of space - with tables free.
The usually bustling Stevenson Square, the home of impromptu parties during Euro 2020 in the summer, cut an eerie scene.
Streets which would usually see hundreds of people making their way from one bar to the next were left quiet.
And it’s a similar picture in the Gay Village.
The much-loved venues along Canal Street appear much quieter than usual, while the pavement outside is bare in places.
It all comes as the Omicron variant has sparked uncertainty in the city.
Despite the lack of crowds compared to previous years, though, GMP say they have remained busy, and have made 21 arrests tonight as of 10.20pm, including one on suspicion of assault of an emergency worker.
Medics and politicians have urged caution this weekend ahead of the festive period due to the rising Omicron surge, with the UK recording its highest daily number of cases since the pandemic began.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people should 'think carefully' before going out to celebrate this Christmas, while England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty advised Britons to consider cutting back on socialising.
But the concern has caused more misery for the city’s hospitality businesses, with restaurants hit by mass cancellations and party-goers staying away.
One Manchester taproom has issued a desperate plea for people to support their local pubs and bars amid fears over the impact of the Omicron variant.
Steve Dunkley, from Beer Nouveau, a brewery and tap room located in the railway arches in North Western Street, said he feared some businesses could disappear in the New Year without financial support from the government.
In a series of posts from the brewery's Twitter account, he said: "It's the last working Friday before Christmas. Normally, from not long after lunchtime, pubs, bars and taps up and down the country would be packed with people.
"We've been looking forward to this all year, it's been one of the few lights in the tunnel of 2021 that's kept a lot of us going. We've all been losing money all year, or barely staying afloat.
"We've spent what little we've had to make our venues safe, warm and welcoming. We've hoped that this weekend would cover that, and see us into next year.
"Well, now I'm sat here wondering if I'll even get into double figures of customers at any point this weekend.
"This industry now officially sucks for us all."
Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester’s night time tsar, has also urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to step up support for the industry.
