Rain and drizzle could dampen the spirits of people returning to pubs and restaurants in England as venues reopen for “Super Saturday” following the coronavirus lockdown.

Some people may be looking to head out to their favourite local hotspots, which have been shut for almost four months during the Covid-19 pandemic, but outbreaks of rain or drizzle are “likely in places”, the Met Office said.

Forecaster Craig Snell said “it will be a quite cloudy and damp day for many of us”, especially across the north and west – and it will turn windy towards the end of the day across parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Despite the cloud, it will still be quite humid in the south and temperatures may reach 22C, Mr Snell continued.

He said: “For those in the west or the north west, they are certainly going to need a raincoat or an umbrella as there will be some rain around.

“Even in some eastern areas, we could not say it is going to be completely dry, but anyone living in East Anglia or maybe parts of Yorkshire probably has a best (chance) of staying dry, compared to the rest of the country.”

The forecast comes as West Midlands Labour police and crime commissioner David Jamieson said police are “praying for rain” on Saturday as pubs and clubs stage a cautious reopening.

Mr Jamieson said while he thought people would “use good sense”, it was “very bad” timing by the Government to pick a Saturday night.

He added: “The Chief Constable and I often meet in the summer, we often have a discussion about the weekends.

“It is the case that when the weather is inclement, the problems we have are somewhat reduced.

“So we are praying for rain this Saturday.”