Pubs and restaurants ready to reopen to serve customers outdoors

According to the Government's road map out of the coronavirus lockdown, pubs and restuarants can serve customers outside from Monday.

Non-essential shops will also be able to reopen.

But customers can not be served inside pubs or restaurants until May 17.

Dave Richardson, a spokesman for the Oxford branch of real ale group CAMRA, said pubs have faced a tough time over the past 12 months with reductions in takings due to repeated lockdowns.

Read again: Pub landlords slam pub Covid passport idea 

The historic Lamb & Flag pub in St Giles closed in January.

Mr Richardson welcomed the reopening of pub gardens and patios but warned that this spring and summer are critical times in pubs’ fight for survival.

He said: "The pubs industry estimates that only 40% of venues will re-open from next week as the majority either don’t have outside space or not enough to make this work, but I am optimistic that the situation locally will be rather better.

"A lot of local pubs do have outside space, and the city council has taken a positive stance by closing some streets to traffic to permit pavement seating.

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“But even those that do reopen from Monday will be unable to trade profitably, and for this they will have to wait for the May 17 reopening of indoor space or more likely for June 21, when hopefully all restrictions will end.

"It’s up to every one of us who value what pubs bring to society to support them as much as possible, despite restrictions including table service only, NHS test and trace for every customer rather than just one contact per party, and the advisability of advance booking.

“Visiting a pub is going to be a rather different experience for some time to come, but without our support many pubs won’t survive – especially small independents that don’t concentrate on food. I for one have already booked two pub visits for Monday and I hope everyone who cares will do the same."

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Mr Richardson added: "As politicians prepare to prance across our screens on Monday toasting our new ‘freedom’ with pints of beer, we should remember that pubs have been unfairly singled out for punitive restrictions both during and in between lockdowns. There has never been any compelling evidence that pubs have been responsible for more than a tiny percentage of Covid infections, yet they have faced long periods of total closure and unworkable rules such as the ‘substantial meal’ requirement at the end of last year.

“At least pubs can start selling takeaway alcohol from Monday, which they have been banned from doing during the last lockdown while supermarkets and convenience stores could carry on regardless.

"And it looks as if the idea of Covid passports for pubs is being rejected as unworkable, especially as most younger people including many bar staff haven’t yet had their first jab.”