Pubs in Cornwall and Devon 'excited and ready' to reopen

On the government's roadmap out of lockdown, 12 April has been the date many pub owners and customers have had foremost in their mind.

Having been closed since early January, from Monday those with outdoor spaces are allowed to reopen.

Covid-19 rules mean customers must sign in to track-and-trace, and stay seated at a table of no more than six people.

Pub landlords in the south-west of England have been telling their stories as they prepare to open.

Tracey and Adrian Bright have run the 18th Century Cobweb Inn in Boscastle in north Cornwall for 52 years.

Mrs Bright said it has been a difficult time, and the pub was not deemed eligible for government grant support: "We have struggled. We have got to open on Monday because things are tight now.

"When you have got all your tables full and you have to go to every table to make sure they have filled it [track-and-trace] in or scanned, that is going to be a logistical absolute nightmare."

Another issue facing the pub and its customers is a poor connectivity that means the app for ordering food and drinks is too unreliable to use.

For now, orders will be taken by staff going to each customer, with an outdoor capacity of 120.

The inn will also only serve food in disposable takeaway boxes "so if it starts raining they can put the lid on and take it with them", explained Mrs Bright.

"We are looking forward to opening but it is very difficult to predict, and to staff. I think we will be fine, weather permitting. It is all going to be run by the weather. It will be what it will be and we will be here for everybody.

"We are as ready as we could ever be"

Referring to major flash-flooding that hit the village in 2004, Mrs Bright said "I'm sure if we can get through a flood, we can get through this".

The Fistral Beach Bar in Newquay is used to dealing mainly with outdoor customers with its position overlooking the sand.

Partner Nick Hayman said: "We are excited to be reopening. It has been hard going as we've been shut more than we've been open in the last 12 months. We are happy to get get going again.

Usually their terraced area can seat up to 400 people, but to comply with social distancing guidance, that maximum capacity will now be reduced to 300.

After the first lockdown they asked people to book tables, but are moving to a first come first serve system now because "the no-shows were crippling".

"We are very weather dependant but judging by the amount of people getting in touch they are really excited to come back and enjoy a beer by the beach".

The Merrymoor Inn at Mawgan Porth is also next to a beach between Newquay and Padstow, and has outdoor space for about 100 customers.

Director Nick Bennett said they will be open for breakfasts from 09:30 on Monday.

He said: "We are very excited. We have been closed for six months so to get our doors back open and welcome our friends back will be fabulous.

"Because we have already been through a lockdown last year we know how to deal with coming out of it. We had a staff meeting here last Monday so everyone knows what to do".

The pub will also have a security guard to help customers with any issues over where to sit, or how the ordering and one-way systems work.

"We started it last summer - I had never had security before and it worked absolutely incredibly. All our customers commented on how nice it was to have somebody there to guide them, and welcoming them as they come in.

"Id like to wish everybody in hospitality the best of luck when they open back up. We have been split up from our teams for six months of the last trading year and we are all one big family."

All customers must sit and remain at a table outside, with a maximum of six people. All orders must be placed from the table.

All customers will have to sign in on entry, not just one member of the group like before.

Under the new guidance, every customer aged 16 and over will have to check in to NHS test and trace before entering a venue, or give their contact details to staff.

All pubs are required to have a one-way system for customers to use the toilets.

Pubs must take "reasonable steps" to stop people who will not comply from coming in, or they face a £1,000 fine.

Pre-pandemic, Kitty O'Hanlon's was one of the busiest pubs in Plymouth city centre but having been closed since November, they have decided not to reopen until 17 May.

Owner Ultan Moran said: "We are holding off. We have got outdoor seating but not a huge amount, so it wouldn't be financially viable for us to open.

"I would have to take a lot of staff back off furlough and I could potentially have more staff running around than customers."

From 17 May, pubs and restaurants will be able to seat customers indoors, with parties made up of a maximum of six people or two households. Groups of up to 30 people will be allowed seated outside.

Mr Moran said he felt "very nervous" about the reopening next month "because of the risk of the virus, and how customers may behave".

"The first couple of weeks are going to be pretty tough, especially if the weather is nice.

"Some people are saying they feel like caged tigers. I'm sure most customers will behave themselves but unfortunately there's a minority out there that won't."

The Smuggler's Den in Cubert said: "We debated about opening the beer garden sooner but decided against it due to unpredictable weather and our location.

"The likelihood would be that the running costs would far outweigh any income sadly."

They are planning to reopen on 19 May.