With pubs, restaurants and cafes now allowed to reopen from April 12 to serve customers outdoors, the hospitality sector around Sleaford has gone into overdrive.
Pub gardens have been a hive of activity as owners geared to recoup their losses from months of closure, bringing in new seating, canopies, patios, planters and heating to ensure a comfortable experience for diners and drinkers until business can open up indoors.
They are all excited to see customers return. Tables are limited to parties of six, with the first few evenings booking up fast.
Here we show some of the scenes of happy customers enjoying Monday’s sunshine.
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Market Square cafe & restaurant, L-R owner Tom Pigott, Nathan Bee and Richard Garrad. EMN-211204-175443001 Photo: Midlands
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The Red Lion at Newton reopened on Monday and had customers until 9pm outside, despite the chilly evening, said landlord Craig Askew, who runs it with wife Leanne. They have done a lot to the covered garden area and Leanne, who is a venue dresser, oversaw the conversion of the old squash courts into a wedding venue, with the viewing gallery and forner bar upstairs turned into bedrooms and the garage into disabled B&B facilities. EMN-210413-153741001 Photo: Midlands
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Ben Inman enjoying a drink at the Red Lion in Newton. EMN-210413-153752001 Photo: Midlands
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It has been a busy first two days at the Red Lion in Newton. EMN-210413-153802001 Photo: Midlands