Coronavirus news: Packed scenes spark concern as pubs reopen across England and holiday makers flock to coast

Good morning and welcome to today's live blog - we'll be bringing you all of the latest updates on the pandemic from around the world as England reopens its pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas as part of the latest easing of lockdown restrictions.

Police appeal to drinkers as pubs reopen

Police are appealing for drinkers not to become a “drain on the emergency services” as they return to pubs for the first time in more than three months.

Pubs were allowed to reopen from 6am in England today and enhanced police patrols will be in place in many towns and cities.

Senior officers have raised concern that queueing and social distancing rules could increase tensions among drinkers, calling the timing and conditions for the reopening a “perfect storm”.

Bars, restaurants, cinemas, hairdressers, barbers, museums and art galleries are also among the businesses reopening today.

List of 59 countries where travel restrictions will be lifted from UK

The government has finally revealed its list of 59 countries where travel restrictions will no longer apply, including France, Spain and Italy.

Previously, a “double lock” prevented nearly all international travel: the Foreign Office (FCO) advised against all non-essential travel abroad, invalidating Britons’ travel insurance, and a mandatory 14-day quarantine period was imposed on all inbound arrivals to the UK.

However, from 10 July these restrictions will be lifted for those travelling between England and the destinations given the green light.

No 'perfect way' to end lockdown

England's chief medical officer has said there is no “perfect” way to reopen Britain’s economy after the coronavirus lockdown – as Boris Johnson urges the public to “enjoy summer safely”.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Friday ahead of the reopening of pubs, Professor Chris Whitty said the government was walking a “narrow path”.

“Either side of the path that we are on, there are risks. And we are going to have health problems, and economic problems, for sure,” he said.

Brits expected to spend £210m in pubs this weekend

Britons are expected to spend £210 million in pubs this weekend as more than one third return to their local.

About 35 per cent of UK adults said they planned to visit a pub in the first week they reopen after the coronavirus lockdown, according to new research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

A “substantial proportion” of these are intending to go during the initial weekend in what is expected to be a major boost for the sector’s hopes of rapid recovery, the think tank said.

‘Tins of Guinness aren’t the same’

Pints were flowing in the pubs of Belfast on Friday afternoon after thirsty drinkers made the pilgrimage to their favourite watering holes following months of lockdown, writes Amanda Ferguson.

Northern Ireland’s hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes were given the green light by Stormont to open from 3 July, days after the Republic eased its hospitality rules and just ahead of England on Saturday.

In the Sunflower bar in Belfast’s popular Cathedral Quarter, district manager Suzanne Magee was relieved to be back at work.

My colleague Louise Whitbread has put together this guide on how to socialise safely as pubs, restaurants and hairdressers reopen.

Tips include making sure you're armed with essentials like a face mask and hand sanitiser when you leave the house.

Gyms to reopen in 'couple of weeks'

Boris Johnson has said gyms will be able to reopen in a “couple of weeks”.

“We are going to reopen gyms as soon as we can do it in a Covid-secure way and I think that the date for reopening gyms at the moment, if we can do it, is in just a couple of weeks’ time,” the prime minister told LBC.

Outdoor gyms and playgrounds were included in the 4 July measures but indoor facilities have continued to remain closed because of the increased risk of virus transmission inside.

Prince William visits local ahead of reopening

The Duke of Cambridge has paid a visit to a local pub in Norfolk ahead of its reopening on Saturday.

To mark the occasion, ​Prince William visited the Rose & Crown pub in Snettisham, where it’s been operating for more than 600 years.

While there, HRH spoke to the pub’s current owners Jeannette and Anthony Goodrich about the challenges pubs across the country have faced during the pandemic, such as having to furlough staff and apply for financial support.

Portugal furious after being left of quarantine-free list

Portugal's tourism sector has reacted with fury and disbelief at Britain's decision to leave Portugal off its list of almost 60 countries deemed safe enough for travel without coronavirus-related restrictions which would see holidaymakers have to quarantine for 14 days on their return to the UK.

This will be a major deterrent for British tourists, who accounted for 2.1 million of Portugal's foreign visitors last year, the second-biggest market after Spain.

Over a dozen countries have imposed restrictions on travel from Portugal as a high toll of several hundred new cases per day concentrated on the outskirts of Lisbon in the past month has worried authorities.

In a tweet, the foreign ministry said "it is absurd that a country, the UK, with 28 times more deaths than Portugal due to #covid-19, imposes quarantine on passengers from Portugal".

Britain has confirmed 44,131 deaths and 284,276 positive tests, while Portugal has reported 1,587 fatalities and 42,782 cases.

Portugal attributes this to its high testing rate, though Britain has surpassed Portugal in terms of tests per million people, according to the worldometer.info website.

Foreign minister Augusto Santos Silva told reporters: "We hope that this decision, which seems to us profoundly unfair and wrong from the British authorities, is corrected as soon as possible. Countries that are friends treat each other differently."