INSIDE WALES’ RESTAURANTS AND PUBS AS THEY RE-OPEN
THIS was the scene inside pubs across Wales yesterday as people were finally able to enjoy a meal and a pint indoors.
Since July 13 tight restrictions have meant that only pubs with outdoor spaces could reopen.
However, people in Wales are now able to sit inside their favourite pubs, restaurants and cafés for the first time in almost five months.
Venues across Wales have been hard at work throughout lockdown to ensure sufficient safety measures are in place before welcoming customers back through their doors. But the reopening won’t see things back to normal any time soon. Oneway systems, reduced numbers of covers, more staff, and even thermal imaging means that a dine-in experience will look a little bit different for the time being for some businesses.
West Cross Inn on Mumbles Road in Swansea opened yesterday for the first time since March.
Owner Vicky Morgans said cost implications were one of the reasons why they decided not to reopen outdoors in July but everyone was excited to open.
“We have been having lots of phone and email bookings, we have lost a few covers, which will affect the business,” she said.
“It was a 30-seat restaurant but we now have 20, the bar area has also lost 10 covers.”
Like many businesses, West Cross Inn, which had several bookings for yesterday evening, is taking part in the UK Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
Ms Morgans added: “We have safety procedures in place such as screens and hand sanitiser.
“Moving forward, we are just doing everything we can to try and be responsible and minimise the amount of footfall and any further spread.
“We are asking for bookings but we will accept walk-ins if we have a table, and there will be a host waiting by the front door to escort people to their table.
“We always offered a table service so it’s not really going to change our process. With the nice weather we are looking at opening our function room downstairs as a drinks-only basis.”
In the city’s maritime quarter is The Queens Hotel – a fixture since 1892.
Manager Joe Hixson said regulars started coming into the pub from 11am – the first time in nearly five months they have been able to enjoy a pint there.
“It’s nice to see all the regulars again,” he said.
“It’s all changed now, they used to stand by the bar but we have stopped that now, customers have to be sat at the table or outside but they are grateful to be there.
“It’s limited to 40 people inside compared to what used to be a couple of hundred on a Saturday.
“It’s been a challenge as we still had all our bills to pay,” he added.
Mr Hixson said the pub did look at introducing an app service – but he admitted that he didn’t think it would work for the business.
“We have stations where you order, once you get your drinks you take them away and sit down.
“We did look at apps, but a lot of our clientele don’t have smartphones, it would be too complicated for some of our customers.
“We are trying to keep it simple, we are following all the guidelines and there’s hand sanitiser stations as soon as you come in,” he explained.
In Newport, The Potters pub, in Upper Dock Street, has also been closed to customers completely since lockdown began on March 23.
Manager Emma Gorvett said staff were very excited to welcome back guests as it began serving breakfast yesterday morning.
“We had I would say 70% of what we normally would have had, which is pretty good,” she said.
“The whole pub is open but we are not booking the outside terrace. That’s reserved for walk-ins who
only want a drink. We are encouraging people to make bookings.”
Ms Gorvett said customers are each seated and then encouraged to use an app to order their food and drinks.
One-way systems and other measures are also in place throughout the building.
“There has been an extremely good response to the Eat Out to Help Out offer,” said the manager.
“Most of our guests aren’t aware of it. They are checking the amount we have charged them. I would say only 20% of our guests are expecting it. I would have thought it will pick up through the month.”
She added: “All the staff are so enthusiastic. It’s lovely. I think everyone has had a bit too much time off.
“It’s gone very well here. We were all a bit nervous that we may have forgotten something, but it has all gone very well.”
Indoor bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls will also be allowed to re-open as part of the latest raft of pandemic restrictions being eased.
Groups of up to 30 people can also meet outdoors from now, while swimming-pools, gyms, leisure centres and indoor play areas, including soft play, will be allowed to reopen from next Monday. Meanwhile, children under the age of 11 no longer have to socially distance from other children and adults.