IN PICTURES: Covid rules fail to dampen New Year’s Eve spirits
The rules meant no more than three households and no more than six people could share a table indoors in pubs and restaurants.
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Hide AdDancing was all but banned with the closure of nightclubs but there were no rules about people dancing in the streets, of which there were a few.
Tonight people seemed happy to use their Covid passports to enter venues, though earlier in the day there had been a large demonstration at City Hall against vaccinations and restrictions.
On the flip side, one person commented that having table service was a blessing as opposed to queuing at the bar and trying in vain to get the attention of a member of bar staff.
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Hide AdSome of those who ventured into town for a pint or two cast their mind back to when they “partied like it was 1999” – on that occasion a huge crowd gathered by the River Lagan in anticipation of the new millennium and some fireworks.
Tonight was a far cry from those numbers, but those that went out adopted the attitude of making the best of a bad situation.
Popular venues included the Duke of York, Goat’s Toe and Merchant Hotel.
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Hide AdIn Scotland, Hogmanay celebrations were cancelled in response to the surging spread of coronavirus, with people urged to stay at home and limit how many people they meet.
In England, unlike anywhere else in the UK, nightclubs remained open.
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