You can almost taste that first cold pint or gin that is somehow nicer from a bar as the hospitality industry gears up to reopen outside spaces on Monday.
Unlike previous restrictions, there will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcohol and no curfew.
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READ MORE: 11 North-East events to look forward to after lockdown
Venues must, however, operate table service.
While many are keen to get back to the pub, we are still a long way from normality.
The Northern Echo has dug out pictures from 2000 to 2010 for a nostalgic look back at darts, live music and even blackouts.
Can you spot yourself in these old pictures of County Durham and Darlington pubs?
![The Northern Echo: Drinking by candle light in The Crown Inn, Manfield, are (L-R) locals Julian Marrs, Lesley Place, Landlord Peter Hynes and local Tim Place. in 2005. Picture: Chris Booth]( "The Northern Echo: Drinking by candle light in The Crown Inn, Manfield, are (L-R) locals Julian Marrs, Lesley Place, Landlord Peter Hynes and local Tim Place. in 2005. Picture: Chris Booth")
Drinking by candle light in The Crown Inn, Manfield, are (L-R) locals Julian Marrs, Lesley Place, Landlord Peter Hynes and local Tim Place. in 2005. Picture: Chris Booth
![The Northern Echo: Paul Conroy, landlord of the Grey Horse, Consett, when the pub won Durham CAMRA Pub of the Year award in 2000. Picture: Brian Clough]( "The Northern Echo: Paul Conroy, landlord of the Grey Horse, Consett, when the pub won Durham CAMRA Pub of the Year award in 2000. Picture: Brian Clough")
Paul Conroy, landlord of the Grey Horse, Consett, when the pub won Durham CAMRA Pub of the Year award in 2000. Picture: Brian Clough
![The Northern Echo: Staff and locals in The Prince Bishop Pub at Brandon, County Durham, celebrating thre win for Red Marauder in the 2001 Grand National which was trained and owned, at the time, by local man Normal Mason. Picture: North News/Mark Pearson]( "The Northern Echo: Staff and locals in The Prince Bishop Pub at Brandon, County Durham, celebrating thre win for Red Marauder in the 2001 Grand National which was trained and owned, at the time, by local man Normal Mason. Picture: North News/Mark Pearson")
Staff and locals in The Prince Bishop Pub at Brandon, County Durham, celebrating thre win for Red Marauder in the 2001 Grand National which was trained and owned, at the time, by local man Normal Mason. Picture: North News/Mark Pearson
![The Northern Echo: Women at the Rose Shamrock and Thistle pub, Streetgate, County Durham, in 2005. It had been revamped by Punch Taverns]( "The Northern Echo: Women at the Rose Shamrock and Thistle pub, Streetgate, County Durham, in 2005. It had been revamped by Punch Taverns")
Women at the Rose Shamrock and Thistle pub, Streetgate, County Durham, in 2005. It had been revamped by Punch Taverns
![The Northern Echo: Staff at the revamped Dunelm Ridge pub in Durham. From left, the then-assistant manager Paul Brown, waitress Danielle Simon and assistant manager Eddie Edminson. Taken in 2005.]( "The Northern Echo: Staff at the revamped Dunelm Ridge pub in Durham. From left, the then-assistant manager Paul Brown, waitress Danielle Simon and assistant manager Eddie Edminson. Taken in 2005.")
Staff at the revamped Dunelm Ridge pub in Durham. From left, the then-assistant manager Paul Brown, waitress Danielle Simon and assistant manager Eddie Edminson. Taken in 2005.
![The Northern Echo: Phill Nixon at a 2007 charity darts match at Durham Light Infantry pub in Durham. Picture: Sarah Nicholson]( "The Northern Echo: Phill Nixon at a 2007 charity darts match at Durham Light Infantry pub in Durham. Picture: Sarah Nicholson")
Phill Nixon at a 2007 charity darts match at Durham Light Infantry pub in Durham. Picture: Sarah Nicholson
![The Northern Echo: John and Sheila Readman pictured with regulars at The Shuttle and Loom in Darlington, 2000. Picture: Mike Gibb]( "The Northern Echo: John and Sheila Readman pictured with regulars at The Shuttle and Loom in Darlington, 2000. Picture: Mike Gibb")
John and Sheila Readman pictured with regulars at The Shuttle and Loom in Darlington, 2000. Picture: Mike Gibb
![The Northern Echo: A 2001 performance by The Rhythm Bandits at Darlington's Hole in the Wall as part of the town's Rhythm 'n' Brews festival. Picture: Stuart Boulton]( "The Northern Echo: A 2001 performance by The Rhythm Bandits at Darlington's Hole in the Wall as part of the town's Rhythm 'n' Brews festival. Picture: Stuart Boulton")
A 2001 performance by The Rhythm Bandits at Darlington's Hole in the Wall as part of the town's Rhythm 'n' Brews festival. Picture: Stuart Boulton
![The Northern Echo: England fans celebrating the first goal of a 2001 match against Albania from The Red Lion in Darlington. Picture: Chris Tinsley]( "The Northern Echo: England fans celebrating the first goal of a 2001 match against Albania from The Red Lion in Darlington. Picture: Chris Tinsley")
England fans celebrating the first goal of a 2001 match against Albania from The Red Lion in Darlington. Picture: Chris Tinsley
![The Northern Echo: Members of the successful dominos team from The Grey Horse pub in Darlington who are off to Bridlington at the weekend for a 2001 competition. From left: Mark White, Mick McMain, Norman Kent, Tony White, Derek White, Colin Stainsby and landlord John Wood. Picture: Mike Urwin.]( "The Northern Echo: Members of the successful dominos team from The Grey Horse pub in Darlington who are off to Bridlington at the weekend for a 2001 competition. From left: Mark White, Mick McMain, Norman Kent, Tony White, Derek White, Colin Stainsby and landlord John Wood. Picture: Mike Urwin.")
Members of the successful dominos team from The Grey Horse pub in Darlington who are off to Bridlington at the weekend for a 2001 competition. From left: Mark White, Mick McMain, Norman Kent, Tony White, Derek White, Colin Stainsby and landlord John Wood. Picture: Mike Urwin.
![The Northern Echo: 2008 Super Brain competition question-setters David Tucker (right) and David Chisholm (second right) meet with competition winner Robin Taylor-Wilson (left) and team mates Peter Twiss and John Deler (centre) in a Darlington pub]( "The Northern Echo: 2008 Super Brain competition question-setters David Tucker (right) and David Chisholm (second right) meet with competition winner Robin Taylor-Wilson (left) and team mates Peter Twiss and John Deler (centre) in a Darlington pub")
2008 Super Brain competition question-setters David Tucker (right) and David Chisholm (second right) meet with competition winner Robin Taylor-Wilson (left) and team mates Peter Twiss and John Deler (centre) in a Darlington pub
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