The Peterborough pubs and restaurants getting ready for April reopening

The Prime Minister’s “roadmap” announcement - which will allow pubs and restaurant to open for outdoor service on April 12 - has at least given publicans and restaurateurs a much-needed date to aim at.

Now, all they need is some good weather.

Stuart Johnson, at The Golden Pheasant in the village Etton, has the date in his diary - even if he would not normally open on a Monday.

“ Oh yes we will be opening on the 12th, even though we never open Mondays except bank holidays,” he said.

“There is now a light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s hope the weather is on everyone’s side. We can all get ready but we will need the dry weather for people to want to come to the pub.

“We are currently revamping our restaurant but with it being outdoors only it wont be used at first, but least it will be ready and waiting for when Boris says we can dine inside.”

Adebola Adeshina, chef patron at The Chubby Castor, fine dining restaurant in Castor, added: “It is great news, especially as we have a large terrace at the front for alfresco dining.

“Hopefully the weather will be lovely and will entice customers to come out to support hospitality.”

He said he was looking forward to reopening, initially with a reduced menu.

In Eye Green, chef patron Damian Wawrzyniak wasted no time in declaring his intentions at his House of Feasts - posting a “grand garden reopening” notice on social media - with “music, beer and garden dining.”

John Lawrence, who runs both the Frothblowers micro pub and the Blue Bell in Werrington village plans to be positive and is thinking big.

“It really won’t work at Frothblowers,” he said, “But The Blue Bell the plan is to close off the main car park and create one of the largest outdoor serving areas in town!

“The weather won’t help but we have to be positive!”

John McGinn at The Dog in a Doublet, near Whittlesey, has plenty of space and will be making the most of it from April 12.

“We have an alfresco kitchen with bespoke wood burning oven and grill,” he said. “We are not taking any chances with the weather so we will be building unique dining pods and rooms”

Heidi Semple, at The Pack Horse, in Northborough chipped in with “Yes! Now fingers crossed for an early onset of summer and hope the weather is on our side.”

Madison Keys and Zak Perrin, who run The Falcon Inn at Fotheringhay are excited at the prospect but the difficulties reopening poses for thers isn’t lost on them.

“Yes we’re very excited at the prospect of reopening on April 12. We’re very fortunate to benefit from a large garden that we can utilise to reopen in some capacity (weather dependant). However, we are very aware that not every pub and restaurant benefits from having an outdoor space to allow them to do so. We just hope support is in place for those who can’t reopen just yet.

“There are a lot of local places we have on our list which we’ll be sure to visit and support once restrictions are lifted further.”

Elsewhere, Tavan, and Charters in the city centre, and The Queens Head at Nassington, have indicated they will be opening too.

A spokesperson for Charters - which has the largest beer garden in Peterborough - said: “We’re super excited and working hard to get the garden ready. We are also busy organising our 2021 events calendar so we can enjoy a fantastic spring and hot sizzling summer together whilst enjoying our great food and drinks menu.”

Greene King, which has a number of pubs across Peterborough, including The Boathouse and The Woodman, both with extensive beer gardens, has said it is too early to indicate when they might reopen.

Among those which won’t be reopening on April 12 - because of a lack of outside space, is the Gurkha Lounge at Hampton Vale.

Owner Krishna Kris said: “I can understand health comes first and the Prime Minister has difficult decisions to make.

“May 18 will be our first day of trading inside if everything goes according to plan. Small independent restaurants need more support.”

Goretti Lobatto, who has two Mattoni Italian restaurants in the city, said she was disappointed as every venue does not have outdoor seating but understood that safety was a priority.

“Luckily after the first lockdown and outdoor seating was recommended we covered part of our outdoor seating at our restaurant in Eye,” she said. “ However in Hampton we just don’t have outdoor coverings.

”But there is light at the end if the tunnel. If we can’t open in April there is hope of indoor seating in May. That’s way better than not knowing and planning can commence.”

The Paper Mills, at Wansford, closed since before Christmas, will also reopen on April 12. It took to social media to announce: “In follow up to the government’s latest statement in relation to the roadmap for the countries release from lockdown, we are pleased to confirm we will re-open for business from Monday 12th April, trading 11.45am till 11pm Outdoors only.”