For the first time, Winnipeggers got to enjoy a cold beer or cocktail in a bar on Good Friday.

New liquor laws that came into effect on April 1 mean customers can enjoy a cold one at a bar on a statutory holiday.

Whether it's Christmas, Good Friday, or Easter, bars and restaurants can now serve liquor at their leisure.

Customers CTV spoke to on Friday like the changes

"I think it's okay,” said Henry Siemens. “I think it's a matter of choice. I think that in most of the parts of the world, they haven't been as archaic as ours have for so long, so I'm fine with it."

"There's a lot more responsible people drinking and just enjoying a drink for the sake of enjoying a drink, so why have the restriction?" said Brian Mansky.

Bars and restaurants can now serve alcohol without sale and service restrictions 364 days a year. Remembrance Day is now the only day of the year that will continue observing holiday restrictions.

Liquor laws hadn’t been changed since 1956.

It's a welcomed change for Confusion Corner Bar & Grill restaurant supervisor Alexa Pitcher, but still too early to tell if businesses will profit.

"I think it's nice that people can come and have a drink and not feel the pressure to have a full meal, so it'll be interesting to see how it goes," she said.

Being able to order liquor without food is just one of the gradual changes Manitoba has seen this year.

Manitobans were able to flood the bars at 5:00 a.m. for Team Canada's Olympic gold medal hockey game, and last month the government gave the go ahead to serve alcohol in hair salons.

Not everyone is embracing the new laws. "You have seven days a week, it's enough for drinking,” said Maria Veiga. “Why should they open on days like today? It don't make no sense to me."

The new laws don't affect the province's current ban on all-you-can-drink events.

- With a report by Rahim Ladhani