An Irish man living in England says the re-opening of the country felt very strange, and will take some time getting used to.
Pub gardens, hairdressers and outdoor dining re-opened there on Monday.
Shops deemed non-essential are also re-opening - as are indoor gyms, swimming pools, nail salons and zoos.
However, social mixing indoors remains heavily restricted.
Pádraig Prendergast, who hails from Co Kerry, is a senior producer at the BBC in London.
He told The Hard Shoulder he managed to find a table last night.
"I had a couple of glasses of wine, very impromptu - I didn't think I'd get a booking because nearly every place was booked out, but we found it.
"It was very strange - like you guys, everything's been in lockdown here since December.
"And just ordering food, getting to speak to people and just hearing conversations at the table next to you it was a very welcome and familiar sound.
"It's been tough but I enjoyed it".
Padraig said walking through the British capital's empty streets was surreal.
"Seeing London as a ghost town - probably a bit like Dublin and at home - it's so strange.
"We're probably never going to see that again, well God we hope not, but it was just so nice to see the boards coming down, all the lights going on, the staff preparing the venues, they hadn't seen their colleagues in such a long time.
A little pick me up. Walked through Soho earlier and the bars and restaurants have taken down their boards after almost four months bustling with lights on, staff preparing venues, having fun with their colleagues with a good feeling in the air. So close. Four more sleeps. pic.twitter.com/uXI3Tu6f31
— Pádraig Prendergast (@prendergast) April 8, 2021
"There's a real good buzz and feeling in the air".
But he said people are still getting used to it all.
"I think everyone was kind of in shock... it's just so strange, I can't tell you.
"I just got talking to people in the tables next to us, everyone is still socially distancing.
"I was there with two friends, but even at that just talking to people from a distance - no one really did that in parks".
And Pádraig said there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
"The public mood is absolutely changing - and it's getting brighter and it's summertime.
"I hope that gives some bit of light for hopefully you guys at home too.
"I'm very conscious of that, because I obviously want to fly home if I can at some point."
