Liverpool city centre reported its busiest Saturday since the start of the pandemic at the weekend as pubs, restaurants, cinemas and more reopened.
According to the Liverpool BID company, the number of people in the city centre on Saturday - the first weekend day after hospitality venues were allowed to open indoors - was over 244,000.
That figure was well above the busiest Saturday over Christmas - December 12, when footfall stood at 208,500 people, and was the highest Saturday figure since March 7, 2020 - before the pandemic - when it was just under 245,000. That day also saw over 50,000 spectators at Anfield to watch Liverpool beat Bournemouth 2-1.
The figures also showed the weekly total hit 1,166,703 - not far off the same weekend in 2019, when it was 1,296,212. Wednesday's total of 170,450 was the busiest Wednesday since August last year.
Overall, the figures increased by over 16.5% on the week before.
That's despite a week of bad weather in which wind and rain battered Merseyside.
Bill Addy, chief executive of the BID, said: “Considering the level of rainfall last week, last week’s footfall figures show Liverpool’s desire to bounce back after lockdown. With arts and cultural events like Liverpool Biennial and LightNight, the reopening of indoor hospitality as well as entertainment and leisure venues has shown the draw our city centre has and its vibrant mixed economy.
"It is great to see people coming back into the city centre but we continue to emphasise the need to keep coming back safely.
"Liverpool’s current figures are very low, and the vaccine uptake remains high, but we know how fast the situation can change. We’re clearly all working hard to keep this recovery on track and we can see light at the end of the tunnel, we just need to keep on going."
The boost came as Covid rules were further eased on May 17 under the Government's Step Three of the lockdown roadmap.
That included pubs and restaurants being allowed to open indoors, as well as venues like cinemas, theatres and bingo halls reopening.
Mr Addy added: "A huge congratulations to all our city centre businesses, across every sector, who have continued to be a beacon of positivity and city centre pride at every stage of this process and are welcoming their customers and visitors back.”
