After more than a year of having been closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, nightclubs finally look set to reopen.

The news, which came following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement that lockdown restrictions will be lifted in England on July 19, is seen as a major milestone for north Cumbria's nightlife.

However, not everyone is entirely convinced that nightclubs will be back with a bang.

Whilst acknowledging the gravity of the moment, Carlisle DJ, Marc Allen, thinks that the impact of the pandemic might take the shine off the moment.

"It will bring the money back to venues. They've been chocked for the past 15 months or so," said Marc.

"It's going to be massive and it's something that the city definitely needs.

"People are still really wary. The number of cases are still rising, and I think some people are scared of that.

"I think it's going to be a long time before it's 100 per cent back to normal again."

Marc, who has performed at nightclubs across Carlisle, including Walkabout and Deja Vu, did admit that he is looking forward to seeing people returning to the dance floor.

He added: "Just having that normality and unity back in their life will be great.

"I can still play music at the moment, but people aren't allowed to dance to it.

"Having people in front of the DJ stand just singing and embracing each other, and coming together through music is something that I can't wait to see again."

The date is also seen as a big moment for the night time economy by councillors.

Carlisle City Council's Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Leisure said: "It's great to see the opportunity for some of these businesses to reopen now.

"We hope that the people running them and the people using them will take care of themselves and others, which they still need to do.

"It's great to have the possibility of the city centre coming back to life."