Wetherspoons to reopen almost 400 pubs in April – is YOUR local on the list?

WETHERSPOONS is to open almost 400 in pubs England in April when lockdown restrictions ease.

Pubs and restaurants have been given the go-ahead to open for outdoor service from April 12 under plans to bring the country out of lockdown.

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Customers will be able to sit in beer gardens, rooftop gardens and patios at 394 Wetherspoons branches.

Wetherspoons has 875 pubs in total across the UK, but not all have outdoor space so some won't be able to welcome back customers until later.

Boozers will be open from 9am until 9pm from Sunday to Thursday, and from 9am until 10pm on Friday to Saturday.  

Punters will be able to order drinks and food although they will be running a reduced menu while some restrictions remain in place.

However, breakfast, burgers, pizza, deli deals, fish and chips and British classics will still be on offer.

Pubs reopening in April must offer table service under the Government's Covid-secure guidelines.

Wetherspoons customers will be able to pay through the free app, although staff members will still be on hand to take orders and payment at the table.

While some pubs and restaurant chains are already accepting bookings, 'Spoons won't be.

Instead, customers will have to wait until they turn up at a branch before finding out whether there's a free table.

It means punters may be asked to wait outside until space frees up at busier times.

Pubs are not allowed to open for indoor bookings until May 17, but customers will be able to go inside a Wetherspoons to gain access to the outdoors area and use the toilets.

Customers can also expect to be asked to handover contact details for the test and trace system, so authorities can track and monitor any coronavirus outbreaks.

Like before, pubs will be providing hand sanitiser for customers to use while having a drink.

It's also worth noting that some pubs may have to close earlier depending on local closing time restrictions unrelated to the pandemic.

Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said: "We are looking forward to welcoming our customers and staff back to our pubs."

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The PM warned his four-step blueprint to lift lockdown can only go ahead as planned as long as benchmark numbers on Covid cases, hospital admissions, vaccinations and deaths have been met.

Within hours of the announcement on pubs reopening, Brits desperate to sip on a pint rushed to book tables for opening day.

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But Harvester and Toby Carvery owners Mitchells & Butlers has slammed the plans for "yet again pushing the hospitality sector's reopening to the back of the queue".