London could emerge from lockdown before the rest of the UK as coronavirus infections fall. Talks are set to be held next week over re-opening the capital's cafes and restaurants for outdoor service, the Daily Mail reports.
As the spread of the deadly bug continues to slow, ministers are hoping that a European-style "cafe culture" can become a reality over the summer.
Officials are set to discuss relaxing rules on outdoor hospitality, a Whitehall source told the paper, amid growing evidence that Covid-19 spreads much less effectively outside.
It comes as government data shows there were only 634 cases of Covid-19 in the capital over the past two weeks, according to the Times. For the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, read our liveblog