JUST 10 months ago, life as we knew it changed after the UK went into the first coronavirus lockdown.

Now, we all have a face mask at hand and it feel like a lifetime ago since we could head to the shops without a bottle of hand sanitizer at the ready.

While the pandemic is far from over, vaccines are being rolled out and health secretary, Matt Hancock, said there is “light at the end of the tunnel”.

To give yourself a break from the doom and gloom and also keep your spirits up, here are some things that locals can look forward to when lockdown finally ends:

Having a few pints at the pub

After some challenging weeks stuck in the house and homeschooling the kids, I bet a lot of people are missing the pub right now.

However, the day will come when pubs can once again open and you can enjoy a few drinks with friends.

You could even embark on a pub crawl without needing to book in advance.

Perhaps a trip to the historic Barley Mow is on your agenda, or maybe you have been craving a pint and some loaded fries at The Station House in Padgate.

Warrington Guardian: The Barley MowThe Barley Mow

(Photo: Geograph/ Malc McDonald)

The Euros and Olympics will be back when lockdown eases, meaning we have something to watch with our mates at the pub

Which local pubs will be at the top of your list?

Days out with the kids

By now, it’s likely that your kids are clawing at the walls, desperate to have a day out.

When restrictions ease, you will never complain about a day out at The Jungle soft play again.

Once the pandemic is behind us and lockdown is a thing of the past, you can have some great days out with the kids.

(Facebook/ @BoBotheDonkey  )

A trip to Walton Hall and Gardens is underrated- and the Children’s Zoo there never fails to entertain the little ones.

It’s home to rescue donkeys, goats, alpacas and many more.

For something a little more fast-paced, you could always consider go karting at Team Sport on Slutchers Lane.  

Running half marathons

After lounging on the sofa watching Netflix and eating food throughout lockdown, the last thing many of are thinking about right now is running.

Last year, many runners were disappointed when all half marathon, 10k and 5k races were postponed.

(Facebook/WarringtonRunningFestival)

However, the event has been rescheduled for this year (September 26 2021) and tickets range from £2-£28,

… or just taking part in Warrington Walking Day

If you won’t run for a bus let alone a half marathon, Warrington Walking Day might be more suited to you.

When the pandemic is behind us, the people can once again get involved in this cherished tradition.

It was cancelled last year but fingers crossed it will return later this summer.

Going to a restaurant

Ordering takeaways in has lost its charm and now many of us are desperate to dress up and enjoy a meal at a restaurant when lockdown ends.

Luckily for locals, there are plans to further develop various areas of Warrington this year- and we can all look forward to new restaurants opening in the future.

Burger Brothers opened their new restaurant earlier this week- are you excited to try their burgers?

There are also plans to open a new restaurant or café on the corner of Palmyra Square and Springfield Street in Warrington’s Cultural Quarter.

Watching a live performance

When lockdown is over, we can all once again enjoy a show at a theatre or concert hall.

From pantomimes to live music, we will be eager to book it all just so we can get out of the house and get away from a screen for a while.

It was meant to be a monumental year for Warrington's Parr Hall in 2020, as it was the 125th anniversary of the famous old hall.

(Facebook/ PyramidParrHall)

Instead it was forced to close, meaning various shows and events were cancelled- including the comedy store events.

However, when Covid restrictions lift there are many events taking place this year that we can add to our calendars, Including a visit from John Bishop (September 5), Jimmy Carr (September 17) and Katherine Ryan (2 December).

A stress-free holiday

The travel rules since the pandemic have been ever changing and evolving, making many apprehensive about travelling abroad even when they were allowed to.

Matt Hancock has also advised Brits against travelling abroad this year and plan to have a “great British summer” instead.

 Many of us can’t wait to jet off on a plane- but we can still dream and start planning the next big holiday.

Until then, we can still book staycations close to our home city with a little more confidence.

Luckily, there are some beautiful places to stay which are right on our doorstep.

Lady Heyes Holiday Park is just down the road in Frodsham and contains luxury glamping pods which are open all year around.  

Alternatively, you can always go Glamping at Gulliver’s world meaning you can roll out of bed and go straight on the rides.

Going to a festival

The coronavirus brought an end to festivals- even local ones.

Last year, locals were disappointed when the Neighbourhood Weekender had to be postponed.

Ian Brown, Catfish and the Bottlemen were just some of the highly anticipated headline acts.

(Instagram/ nbhdweekender)

However, a spokesperson for the Warrington Council confirmed the festival is set to go ahead this year- as long as the government guidelines allow it.  

It’s currently scheduled to take place 29- 30 May.

Christmas traditions

Christmas was a very different affair for everyone in 2020.

If the kids got to see Santa at all, it was likely from behind a Perspex screen or via a video call.

Last year in Warrington the traditional Christmas light switch on was replaced with a virtual ceremony.

Many of us also missed the Warrington Christmas Market this year, and the various festive smells at Warrington’s Golden Square.

When lockdown restrictions ease we can once again resume our normal Christmas traditions.

Getting to see your loved ones

I’m sure many will agree that the hardest thing about lockdown Is not being able to spend time with our loved ones.

Videos calls simply aren’t enough and many are desperate to go shopping in the town centre or even just walk around Woolston Park without fear of passing the virus on to them.

When lockdown is over and the pandemic is just a moment in history, we can hug our family members a little tighter.

What are you most looking forward to when lockdown ends? Let us know in the comments.