The pandemic has undoubtedly had an impact on people, businesses and places right across the world.
But as the UK regains some sense of "normality", we have taken a look back at just how Liverpool has changed over the last few years.
Outdoor dining has become far more popular since the start of the pandemic, with councils across the country opening up space for bars and restaurants to function at a closer capacity to normal while maintaining social distancing.
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Early in 2021, outdoor dining returned to Liverpool city centre streets after a successful 2020 as part of a wide ranging coronavirus recovery plan.
The popular Liverpool Without Walls scheme made a return in 2021 to aid the city’s hospitality sector after a worrying year.
A £500,000 city council fund supported 152 businesses and created 2,723 new outdoor eating and drinking covers.
Key hospitality areas like Castle Street, Bold Street and Lark Lane were transformed, with specialist outdoor areas created and full or partial road closures put in place to allow more space for venues to expand.
It saw major roads like Castle Street and Bold Street shut off to traffic last summer to allow for outdoor dining to take place, as well as additional dining at Liverpool One Chavasse Park.
April last year saw the reopening of non-essential retailers such as clothing and homeware stores, betting shops, electronics stores and more, as well as bars, restaurants and cafes - provided they only offered alfresco dining and drinking.
The meant Liverpool saw queues of people lining up for an outdoor seat at venues across the city as normality was finally on the horizon.
Alfresco style dining proved to be popular on Bold Street and Castle Street as it was closed off to cars, allowing visitors more freedom on foot.
In areas like Lark Lane, extra spaces has been created using temporary traffic cones, which have been difficult to maintain and have been criticised by some.
But now, the "terrible" orange cones will soon be replaced at the popular Liverpool spot.
The cones and bollards were put in place in the summer of 2020 as part of the scheme, but while many were happy to see a one-way traffic order introduced to limit the number of cars, the orange bollards were always seen as a cheap and unattractive measure.
Last year, pubs and restaurants on Lark Lane were full of people enjoying the April sunshine as lockdown restrictions eased and venues including Maranto's, The Ink in the Well and The Bookbinder welcomed people back for the first time in months.
The bright sunshine helped tempt people back outside for lunchtime refreshments with venues on Lark Lane and across Merseyside filling up their outdoor areas, but in Lark Lane, people have said there is now need for change.
Liverpool Council said more details about the Lark Lane improvements will be forthcoming soon.
What are your thoughts on outdoor dining in Liverpool? Let us know in the comments!
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