'We will get through this': Northampton restaurateurs and publicans react to reopening on July 4

Restaurateurs and pub landlords in Northampton have reacted to the news that they can throw open their doors to customers next month.

While getting the green light is widely seen as good news it also means businesses with little income throughout lockdown have to now pay out hundreds of pounds for PPE.

Indoor hospitality is now limited to table service - with no ordering at the bar - and managers are being advised by the Government to track and trace customers in case there is an outbreak of the virus.

Jennie Bowmaker, from Wellingborough Road's Bread & Pullet, has said her restaurant is likely to remain closed to diners but she will continue the successful takeaway service.

She said: "It is great that hospitality and other leisure businesses have been given the okay to open. These industries are in great need of a cash injection, and the return of customers after closing at the end of March, to offset the massive losses they have seen whilst being closed and still having many overheads to pay.

"However Bread & Pullet will not be reopening for in-house diners immediately as it just doesn’t seem viable for us personally to do so. Our eating space is restricted size-wise and our restaurant is very narrow, as well as a small bar and kitchen.

"We are currently open for takeaways, which has worked as well as could be expected for us, helping to reduce our losses and to keep us afloat. This is partly due to the fact that it can be run with just two members of staff and restricted access by other people.”

Penny Hadman of The Saxon Tavern in Earls Barton is gearing up to reopen her micropub on July 4 with strict social distancing and possibly a booking service in place. She said reopening is vital as her household went from five incomes to one during lockdown.

She said: "Obviously we are not going to be as full as we were before but we have to open or else I'll have to make two staff redundant and shut the doors - we need to do something. We have been going round the Tavern with our one-metre stick and our tape to see how many tables and chairs we can fit in safely.

"We got quite emotional when Boris announced lockdown, especially when you're independent and you've put so much hard work into it and set it up from nothing. To suddenly say 'you can't trade' was gutting. Financially it was a worry we went from a household of five incomes to one. Now we have to pay for floor stickers, tape, hand wash and we've had no income and the price of that stuff has gone up immensely in the last couple of weeks.

"I'm sure we will get through it. Our locals are desperate to come back and they've been so supportive. We are lucky to be in a village because we have wonderful customers."

St Giles Ale House boss Terry Steers added that there are some grey areas around opening on July 4 and he is worried that the Government has only issued ‘guidance’.

He has designed a gate system to control entry on the front door, garden and toilet.

He said: "This way I can ensure only one person can be in the toilet or corridor leading to the garden at one time. It's going to be tight getting it ready for opening and it would have been nice of the Government to give venues more time to prepare for it.

"I think the majority of venues had to guess at what the regulations would be before now. I can't see everyone being able to open on the 4th. I think most may need more time to make sure they are adhering to the regulations.

“What worries me is the fact the PM insisted a number of times that this is all guidance and not legislation."

The Lighthouse, Old House and Brooklyn Social are also opening on July 4 with added security staff on exits, entrances and toilets but the boss questions whether track and trace will work if people are dishonest with their details.

Sanitising stations will be in all three venues, customers will be head counted as they enter the venues and prominent signs will be up throughout to remind people to social distance.

"We are telling everyone to make a booking so all bookings get preference", the boss said. "We are going to review later whether to give tables a two hour turnaround."

Talks are also now in place with publicans in town to arrange for security staff to help with crowd control and help move on customers from busier pubs to those with space.