Inside Peterborough’s newest restaurant - which opened hours before lockdown announced

The Genie Lounge, specialising in charcoal-grilled meat dishes, desserts and shisha, has taken shape in the former Beehive pub in Albert Place, off Bourges Boulevard, which closed in March. Gone are the pool tables, big screen TVs and jukebox, although plenty of comfortable seating remains. Outside a large wooden structure now covers the rear pub garden, complete with garden heaters, offering shelter and comfort for shisha pipe smokers.The drinks menu centres on non-alcohiolic soft drinks such as mocktails, tea and coffee. The Genie Lounge will, of course, have to stop trading on Wednesday night as part of the month-long lockdown to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Owner Mohammed Barwari said there had been a full house on Sunday, with customers impressed with the look, the food and the shisha, so he was disappoined with lockdown coming so soon. “Now there is not much we can do, we will have to follow the rules and see what happens.”