Let’s raise

Bars and cafes get ready for business

It’s the news cafes, bars, restaurants, hairdressers and gyms have been desperate for – a potential reopening date to welcome back customers and clients.

Following the Scottish Government announcement last week of the nation’s roadmap out of lockdown, businesses are dusting off their cobwebs after a long wait to get trading again.

From Monday, April 5, hairdressers, barbers, garden centres, car showrooms and other non-essential retail stores will reopen.

From Monday, April 26 it is hoped the country will return to a levels system – with most of Scotland expected to go directly into Tier 3.

It is at this time hospitality venues like cafes, pubs and restaurants can open until 8pm indoors, with no alcohol, or 10pm outdoors with alcohol permitted.

Tourist accommodation can open with restrictions in place; gyms can reopen for individual exercise and indoor attractions such as galleries, museums and libraries can throw open their doors.

From Monday, May 17, pubs and restaurants can serve alcohol indoors until 10.30pm and cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls can reopen.

For Ayr town centre’s biggest beer garden spot, Arthur Street Kitchen, they can’t wait to get serving pints and cocktails outdoors on April 26 but have urged punters to stick to the rules leading up to reopening.

General manager Jon Neil said: “We’re buzzing to get back.

“We’ve taken bookings and we’re almost fully booked for the first 10 days – that’s outdoors only but we’ll still be operating ASK indoors and will reopen our Hollybush Inn restaurant on April 26 too.

“It’s still six weeks away – things can change overnight. Cases are still high and we’re still in lockdown.

“A small spike could be on the cards and if that happens then that date [April 26] goes out the window.

“What we don’t want to happen is to open for three weeks, then there’s a spike, and we need to rein it back in again.

“It’s up to us. If everybody wants to go back to the pub on the April 26 then they’re the ones who control it.”

Jon added: “Stay in the house until you’re told not to, follow the rules, during the Easter holidays, don’t have parties in your garden. “The next six weeks are crucial.” Prestwick’s Golf Inn, which also has a beer garden, said April 26 “cannot come quick enough” for them and their regulars.

They added on the business’s Facebook page: “We are now taking bookings for outdoors and indoors; in fact, I think we took a booking 30 seconds after the First Minister finished talking [on Tuesday].

“Let’s all hope for brighter days and better weather this year.”

But for Ayrshire Post columnist and Twa Dugs pub boss Bob Shields, he’ll have to wait until May 17 until he can serve alcohol before welcoming back punters.

Bob, who last poured a pint on October 9, said: “I haven’t got a beer garden and don’t do food so I’m kind of snookered.

“The whole ethos of a pub is you drink and randomly mix socially; flit from crowd to crowd, group to group.

“And then to say, ‘Well, you can open your pub but there will be no booze and no mixing’; the whole point of a pub is mixing, socialising and relaxing.

“It’s a wee bit unfair but in terms of the whole row about pubs [being closed] and Covid that ship sailed last summer.