Jonathan Lea, the owner of Loxleys, in Stratford-upon-Avon, told us earlier how much he was looking forward to just seeing people in his restaurant and wine bar.

Well customers look to have been enjoying themselves in the reopened venue while staff have been wearing masks to comply with Covid rules, including in the kitchen:

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Reuters

Amy Gittens, manager at Pembroke House, in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, said she was confident customers would return as lockdown restrictions ease.

But she said she was mindful the Indian variant could cause issues down the line.

"I think people have missed the pub, they've missed social activities, they've missed coming out and having a proper pint of ale... they've just missed that social interaction. So I think people will be ready to come back," she said.

"But obviously with the [Indian] variant, we've just got to maintain social distancing and the rules that we have to follow that the government have set for us."

Sophie Madden
BBC News

One Dudley pub owner said, under previous restrictions, reopening had been weather dependent.

Karen Kennedy, who runs the Summerhouse, said only being open outdoors had meant they had only been open for one weekend this year.

She didn't open the pub immediately in April and first welcomed customers on a May bank holiday.

"We were open Saturday and Sunday, it was fantastic, we had lots of regulars come back, we were busy, the staff were so excited to be back and it was a lovely feeling," she said.

Image source, The Summerhouse

But, she said, the weather had hindered opening since.

"We have to make a call because it is not like opening a shop, you have to prep the coolers, everything has to be switched on," she said.

"We make a decision the night before on the weather forecast....with the new rules on table service, we are having to have more staff on then we would normally, so to have a staff bill of £400 to £500 a day for it to be raining and no customers because of the weather is an extremely hard call to make."

But, Mrs Kennedy said, they were geared up for serving inside and "raring to go".

“We’re really, really excited, we’ve been prepping now several days, checking everything's in place…we’re lucky that we’ve got quite a few bookings next few weeks, old customers ringing up re-booking in, it is really encouraging," she said.

BBC Radio WM

A soft play centre in Lichfield, Staffordshire, is fully booked this week and owner Ben Birchall is hoping for a wet summer for more indoor play.

Image source, Little Green Frog

He says next week is already more than 90% booked at the Little Green Frog Cafe and bookings are "already into June and July, which for a little play cafe in Lichfield is not too bad".

The centre has been shut for seven months, which Mr Birchall said had been "interesting" but they had managed to survive.

"We are operating less than full capacity due to social distancing so we are probably at 80-90% capacity," he said.

"That will have a real impact on our revenue, so we have looked at new revenue streams because if we just do what we have always done, we are not going to survive."

Covid testing is due to be increased this week in Nuneaton and Bedworth after positive cases of the Indian variant were found.

The strain known as VOC-21APR-02 has been found in the Abbey Ward area, although Warwickshire County Council said it was a "small number" of cases.

A second seven-day testing site will be set up and everyone living in the area will be offered a PCR test.

The authority said it was also looking to introduce a collect-and-drop scheme this week along with door-to-door testing in the Abbey and Wembrook wards.

BBC Radio CWR

Coventry Cathedral is ready to welcome back visitors and has a ticketing system in place to keep people safe.

Matilda Cornwall-Jones, from its events team, said it was necessary "to put the safety of visitors first" and to help manage the restrictions that remain in place.

There are exhibitions on and organ recitals will take place every Monday. The old cathedral area isn't going be open just yet due to renovation works, but it will be ready soon, she said.

Visitors will need to wear a mask inside and continue to adhere to government guidelines.

To welcome people back to the cathedral was the culmination of a lot of hard work "and so much excitement", she added.

Birmingham Airport is operating at a fraction of its usual capacity as rules on overseas travel ease.

Richard Williams
BBC CWR

A wine bar owner says he can't wait to see many of his regular customers throughout today "because they are our friends as well".

Jonathan Lea runs Loxleys, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, which has been shut since November.

He said the bar had managed to keep everyone on staff with help from the furlough scheme and was recruiting more with a lot of bookings on the cards.

But he said seeing people at his bar was the main thing, adding: "Last night, I said to my fiancee 'I cannot wait to see people'. This is what we do."

BBC Radio Stoke

A cafe in Stafford has developed a scheme to help boost other local businesses, as more restrictions are lifted.

Cup a Cha, in North Walls, is offering rewards to customers of 18 other businesses if they shop local.

The businesses include clothes and furniture shops, hairdressers and other hospitality venues - some which reopen for the first time today.

Image source, Google

Owner Amy Walsh said: “We have had a lot of interest so far and I think obviously after the 12 months small businesses have had and how they have been affected, I am kind of hoping that this will help them to get back to some form of normality and also come back bigger, better and stronger.

“We just really wanted to help.”

Gill and Jane have toasted their return to bingo by getting a win in already.

They've joined several others at Mecca Bingo, in Crewe, for the first time in months.

"To just be indoors and see everybody... it's fantastic," Gill (left) said.

"The staff are always friendly and everyone is welcoming - and we've had a win," Jane added.

"We haven't won very much yet, just £12.50, but you know, it's a win."

Sophie Madden
BBC News, West Midlands

A Shropshire bar-owner said the latest lifting of restrictions was the closest he had got to being able to properly reopen his venues.

David Gregg, who runs Telford's Albert's Shed, plus Albert's Shed and Albert's Pour House in Shrewsbury, said it was "a step closer to fully reopening".

Under the new restrictions, live performances will be able to resume at his Telford venue.

"There are still a lot of restrictions in place," he said.

"It will mean having a fully seated audience of 100 people, instead of a couple of hundred people jumping up and down in front of stage, but we had experience of it at the end of last year, we're all set up for it and it is something which is better than nothing."

Image source, Albert's Shed

“One of our venues in Shrewsbury has not opened since the 20th March last year, but it will reopen on Friday for live music.

"It is the closest we have got to getting properly open in well over 12 months.

“We are hesitant really, there is no guarantee all restrictions will be lifted on 21 June, there is a chance we will have to carry on under the current restrictions for a little while longer, but.. it is a step in right direction.”

Laura Mcmullan
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

Getting some normality back is the main theme from parents at the soft play centre I visited in Staffordshire earlier.

Come Into Play reopened in Stone and children were soon running around with shouts and laughter in the air.

One parent said her son "loves playing, so he is a happy little baby" while another dad said it was "really great to go out of lockdown".

It was not just the youngsters benefiting, as a mum told me: "It is really nice to sit down and have a cup of coffee knowing that [my] little one can play around and she is in a safe environment."

Allen Cook
BBC News

The first person in the world to be given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has taken advantage of lockdown easing to go on a coach holiday.

Image source, Harry Shaw

Margaret Keenan, 91, was given the vaccine at University Hospital, in Coventry, in December.

Coach holiday firm Harry Shaw tweeted a photo of Mrs Keenan and said she had joined them for a holiday.

The 93-year-old is taking a break in Bournemouth with her daughter and son-in-law.

Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

Most pubs haven’t opened yet in Tenbury Wells, but here is a photo from inside The Vaults, which is on the Main Street in the Worcestershire town.

They opened for the first time this morning since the start of January. Fair to say it was busy when I popped in to set up an interview for later.

Bosses at The Ironbridge Gorge Museums say the past year has been the toughest in its history.

The Shropshire attractions were hit by floods and then forced to close because of the pandemic.

From Wednesday, four more of its venues will reopen including Enginuity and Coalport China Museum.

Some of its others, including Blists Hill Victorian Town (pictured), have already been able to welcome some guests.

Image source, Getty Images

Chief executive Nick Rolls said: "It has been a really difficult year...because of the pandemic.

"But it started, we actually had flooding which wiped out two of our museums so it has been a year of many difficulties.

"Over the last 18 months we have probably been impacted by over £3m in terms of our costs and just because we closed, the costs of maintaining them, heating them, keeping them secure, is considerable on a month-to-month basis."

BBC Midlands Today

Wolverhampton speedway fans will be among the first spectators allowed back in to watch their sport.

Fewer than 1,000 supporters can attend Monday evening's meeting at Monmore Green for the Thank You NHS Trophy.

It has been 20 months since speedway bikes were last able to race at the track.

Sarah Portlock
BBC News, West Midlands

'Whisky woman' Amy Seton cannot wait to see her customers in person again.

The businesswoman said the pandemic, which caused the closure of Grain and Glass, formerly the Birmingham Whisky Club, in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, had been awful.

“The changing goalposts made it difficult, we opened and then closed, or had to manage the rule of six, or make sure people were family members.

“We were putting staff on and off furlough which is very difficult for them. We were all really worried," she said.

Image source, Rav Reyet

“But we started collection boxes online which we are going to continue doing.

"And we started doing tastings online. We did a whole festival online too.

“It got a bit of money in and a whole new customer base which has been really positive."

“Now we're reopening, which is great – and we have lots of people trying to book, which is lovely.

“It’s been quite difficult to get new staff though as a lot of people have relocated or got new jobs for understandable reasons.

“We are excited to see our regulars again. Everyone has been very supportive.”

Laura Mcmullan
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

Customers were queuing at the doors of a soft play centre in Staffordshire this morning waiting for it to open, according to its owner.

Caron Lim runs Come Into Play, in Stone, and said parents had told her how much they had missed going to play centres like hers.

"For a lot of customers with young children, not being able to socialise with other children, see other family members, see other friends, it has been a real gap," she said.

Despite reopening, the building is only running at up to 40% of capacity due to Covid rules and has to clean for 30 minutes after every two-hour slot.

Coombe Abbey Hotel is among venues opening its doors as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

It's about to host its first wedding.

Managing director Richard Harrison said everyone had been looking forward to reopening, despite the hotel not operating at capacity just yet.

"I walked past reception earlier about 9.30am and they said we've had some people checked in already," he said.

"We've had rooms standing empty for six months, so we're more than happy to get people in as early as possible today."

To get ready for today, he said, had been "a lot of hard work by a lot of people".

"We're really, really pleased, our first wedding is today - for 26 - which is great.

"Afternoon tea today is about 119 people and rooms for this evening, we've sold about 45, 46 rooms and the fact we're only selling 60 of the 120 rooms at the moment... is really, really great on our first day."

There are plans for an on-site cinema later in the summer as well, but the venue will continue to reopen in stages to remain safe.

Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke

We have our first hug.

It's one of the big changes from today; the government says contact with people from other households, including hugs, is a matter of personal choice.

For millions of people this will be the first time they've hugged family and friends in months.

This one took place at the Floral Hall, a community centre in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, between Pat and Betty.

It is Pat's birthday today and Betty, who chairs the hall's trustees, said "she's a little sweetheart, this lady".