Places to get a pint at a pub in South Warwickshire from Monday
WALK past a pub beer garden and you’re likely to see a flurry of activity this week as landlords make their final preparations to welcome back customers… outside.
Marquees are being put up, grass is being cut and heaters are being installed – you can never really tell when you’ve seen the last of winter.
At the community-owned New Inn at Norton Lindsey, volunteers have been sprucing up the pub’s garden ready for reopening.
“We’ve got wi-fi installed in the garden, we have had all of the garden trimmed and mowed, and we’ve got a marquee that’s going up later this week,” said Zanna Patchett, who is on the pub’s management committee. “We’re not taking bookings – part of what we’ve decided is that, because we’re community owned, we want to make the pub as accessible as possible.
“We can seat 75 in the outdoor space and still comply with social distancing guidelines and the rule of six. Generally, if that was full that would be a very, very good day for us as we’re a pretty small pub.”
Like many business across the country, the New Inn has been relying on grants to get through the lockdowns.
“It has been massively challenging,” said. Zanna. “We’ve taken advantage of all the grants – there’s been a number of government initiatives that the hospitality sector has been able to access. Our challenge was our size as a lot of those were based on rateable value – we’ve always fallen in the smaller end.”
However, as a community-owned pub, the New Inn has had access to grants to support community rural enterprises.
The team is also being optimistic and has pencilled in dates for summer events – a classic car show on 24th July and a sausage and cider festival on 28th August.
But is still there an appetite for a pint? It seems the answer is a heavy headed ‘yes’.
Zanna said: “There’s a lot of people in the village who have told us they’ve got Tuesday off work!”
Also serving:
Bell, Alderminster – Garden is open for bookings.
Bulls Head, Bidford – The garden is ready for next week.
Churchill Arms, Paxford – The garden has been given a makeover in time for reopening.
College Arms, Lower Quinton – The country inn is reopening its outdoor area.
Cox’s Yard, Stratford – Bookings can be made via the
website.
Dirty Duck, Stratford – The beer garden will be open for bookings from Monday.
Ebrington Arms, Ebrington – Open for outdoor dining.
Four Alls, Welford – A large marquee has been put up for customers.
Frog, Bidford – Riverside pub with beer garden.
George Townhouse, Shipston – Opening outside from 5pm on Monday.
Golden Bee, Stratford – among the Wetherspoon pubs due to reopen next week.
Howard Arms, Ilmington –The garden has been extended and a marquee put up.
Keys, Stratford – Has installed a cover over its outdoor area to cope with the British weather.
Masons Arms, Long Marston – Opening with a new outdoor bar and kitchen.
Moat House, Kings Coughton – Is offering alfresco dining areas, tepees and ‘heating galore’.
Old Tramway Inn, Stratford – Has been hiring staff ready for opening up the outdoor space.
One Elm, Stratford – Bookings are open for groups of up to six in the pub’s outside space.
Red Lion, Stratford – Is bookings for the outside dining area, which is open all.
Turk’s Head, Alcester – Will be taking garden table bookings.
White Swan Hotel, Henley – Has updated its outside area ready for opening.