Brewery preparing to open 51 beer gardens

PUBS in Tayside and Fife have detailed plans for reopening their beer gardens when restrictions on outdoor hospitality are lifted on April 26.

The Bell Tree, Kingsway Farm, Molly Malone’s, Riverside Inn and Trades House, all owned by brewery Greene King, will all have outdoor sections available for customers.

The group’s Broxden Farms and Maltings in Perth are also planning to reopen their beer gardens, along with the Central Bar in St Andrews and Home Farm View in Kirkcaldy.

Groups of up to six people from three different households will be allowed to visit the pubs together, with alcohol to be served outdoors for the first time this year.

Greene King plans to reopen a total of 51 pubs after restrictions are eased, with some locations offering limited indoor hospitality.

Customers have been encouraged to reserve their places in the beer garden in advance, with bookings open from April 9.

Greene King chief executive Nick Mackenzie said: “We can’t wait to welcome our customers back safely to enjoy a pint in a beer garden without the legal requirement to buy a meal as well.

“Sadly, just over half of our managed pubs Scotland won’t be able to reopen in April as they either don’t have outdoor space or there is no prospect of them being viable.

“But we know the vital role pubs play in communities and feel it’s important to open as many as we can to help people get back together once again.

“We look forward to May when we can open many more of our pubs, and with England planning a return to normality in June when the restrictions are fully removed, we hope a similar lifting of restrictions can also take place in Scotland over the summer to allow businesses to rebuild.

“Until then, here’s hoping the weather in May is kind and allows plenty of opportunities to visit a pub garden.”