COVID-19: Kiwis in London excited to return now pubs have reopened

England's had the biggest relaxation in COVID-19 rules since the lockdown began, with pubs and restaurants reopening at the weekend.

After more than three months, the drought was finally over, but for Kiwis living in London, it was being able to get together at Secret Gold Mine cafe to celebrate which made it special.

"I'm loving it. I'm actually a lot more excited than what I thought I was going to be, to be out and about," one tells Newshub.

"It's good to be out with some friends and just being able to socialise," another says.

Kiwi brewery Yeastie Boys were helping quench the thirst that's been building since March.

"Being stuck in London in little apartments and not being able to get out and do the social stuff has been very hard for a lot of young Kiwis especially," Yeastie Boys founder Stu McKinlay says.

But not all pubs were serving, with some choosing to stay boarded up and closed.

Restaurants could finally open too, with customers dining in for the first time in 100 days.

The streets were bustling and people were busting for a haircut. The city's barbers and stylers run off their feet and booked out for weeks.

The restrictions eased in England only - the wait continues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.