For the first time in months, pub gardens, shops and hairdressers welcomed back customers as they reopened on Monday as part of the easing of lockdown restrictions.
In what has been a challenging beginning of the year for many, this next step will represent a chance for businesses to begin to recover confidence as well as lost profits.
Many firms will be breathing a huge sigh of relief as months of closure and restrictions has taken a heavy toll on firms across the country.
Not all businesses will be celebrating this week however as the British Beer and Pub Association has estimated only 40% of licensed premises have the space to reopen for outdoor service.
Looking to the future and the next steps of the recovery plan, businesses will be wanting clarity over when they will be allowed to open to full capacity and how exactly the government will be supporting them until this time.
For now many businesses have cause to be optimistic that this will be the last lockdown that they will face. A continuation of the vaccine rollout together with a clear and concise long-term plan will maintain this confidence and contribute toward a recovery of the economy.