UK job ads and restaurant bookings rebound as lockdown eases

LONDON - English diners rushed back to restaurants this week and online job adverts are back to pre-pandemic levels as Britain's economy starts to reopen following the coronavirus pandemic, according to new figures on Thursday.

The slew of economic indicators published by the Office for National Statistics and the Bank of England also showed that British banks are preparing to increase mortgage lending to households by the most since before the 2008 financial crisis. Non-essential shops reopened in England for the first time since January on Monday, and restaurants and pubs were allowed to serve customers outside.