FREEDOM FRIDAY... AND A NEW DAWN
15C sunshine and more relaxed rules herald glorious weekend getaways for families
FOR many of us, the easing of lockdown restrictions marks the end of a long and gloomy winter.
As families come out to celebrate rules relaxing, so too will the sun – with a weekend of scorching weather.
Tourism bosses have braced themselves for a mass exodus from the cities thanks to a double whammy of early summer sun and the easing of travel restrictions.
And with many schools not returning to the classroom until Monday, even more people are predicted to pack onto beaches and take to the hills as part of what is being dubbed ‘Freedom Friday’.
It also comes as rules on group meetings are relaxed, with six people from six different households now allowed to gather in an outdoor setting.
But those heading out are warned to be wary of the heat, as the mercury is tipped to hit 15C (59F).
The Met Office’s Grahame Madge said anyone spending more than 30 minutes outdoors today should be thinking about wearing sun cream or covering up.
He said: ‘Scotland has been enjoying quite a significant April so far.
‘Halfway through the month, we have only seen 23 per cent of the rainfall we would normally expect. Up to Wednesday of this week, the country has enjoyed twothirds of its normal April sunshine.
‘Meteorologically speaking, you would expect the second half of the month to be the sunniest, so we will be keeping an eye on things for any unusually high totals.’
Aviemore, in Inverness-shire, is expected to undergo a remarkable change, transforming from being the coldest place in the country last night, when temperatures dropped to -3C (26F), to the warmest this afternoon, hitting 15C (59F). To prepare for the expected masses of visitors, businesses in the area have taken on more staff to cope.
Ice cream shop owner David Miele, 32, said the day marks a change for the town which missed out on hosting visitors for the skiing season.
He said: ‘Aviemore has been very quiet since Christmas, so it’s great to welcome people back again.’
In the Central Belt, plans have been put in place to cope with the expected visitors, with the reopening of toilets and car parks.
James Fraser, chairman of Friends of Loch Lomond, said: ‘We have had a few busy weekends this spring but we expect this to be the busiest of all.
‘People will be able to climb a hill, cycle through the forests and paddle in the water for the first time in months.
‘But they must come prepared. Remember, tourist accommodation does not reopen until April 26 and apart from takeaway places, everything else will still be shut.
‘Hillwalkers should also be cautious. A lot of people are unfit through lack of exercise and mountain rescue teams have recently been called out because people have gone over on weak ankles.’
Businesswoman Tiffany Irvin, who runs a cafe in Largs, Ayrshire, said: ‘We have organised extra staff and stock in the expectation that people will be desperate to get out for the first time in months.
‘But, at the same time, we are a bit concerned at the possible impact of mass tourism.’
In anticipation of families heading outside, Glasgow City Council is installing CCTV cameras at Kelvingrove Park, where young people often gather in large numbers.
A local authority spokesman said: ‘We have been working very closely with Police Scotland to ensure the park remains a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors.’
Similar CCTV surveillance will take place at the Meadows in Edinburgh to prevent anti-social activities experienced there recently.
City of Edinburgh Council leader
‘People desperate to get out’
‘Pain-free, I didn’t feel a thing’
Adam McVey said: ‘Following the appalling scenes at the Meadows last weekend, we’ve been working closely with colleagues in Police Scotland to address the issues and put in place an action plan that will drive home the message that this anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.
‘This weekend, and over the coming weeks, there will be additional patrols by our park rangers and street and environment enforcement officers, who will hand out black bags, give advice on litter management and, if necessary, issue fines.
‘There will also be increased presence of police and CCTV resources to ensure the safety of everyone enjoying the park.’ Meanwhile, the First Minister has admitted she was ‘emotional’ after receiving her first Covid-19 vaccine – and paid tribute to NHS staff involved in the rollout.
Nicola Sturgeon became one of more than 2.5 million Scots to have received at least one dose of the vaccine, being inoculated at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow yesterday.
Allocated the Oxford/AstraZeneca dose, Miss Sturgeon said it would help to bolster her defence of the jag, which has caused concerns following some rare instances of blood clots.
She said: ‘It was totally pain-free, I didn’t feel a thing.
‘The lovely woman who vaccinated me made it all really easy.
‘I guess like many people I felt quite emotional because it’s so important, this vaccination programme, in helping us all get back to normal.’
Miss Sturgeon also urged other Scots not to delay when they receive their appointment letters.
She said: ‘My message to everybody is as soon as you get the invite to be vaccinated, come forward, be vaccinated, because it’s such an important part of our route back to normality.’
She told how she was ‘thoroughly impressed with the well-oiled machine I saw in there’, adding: ‘I just want to say such a huge thank you to everyone across the country who has been delivering this programme – they’re heroes, each and every one of them.
‘I’m actually quite glad I got AstraZeneca, because there have been concerns raised and I said that I’m confident it’s safe, but now I’m not just saying that.’