Greene King bosses have confirmed that 442 of its pub gardens will reopen next month as lockdown restrictions continue to lift.
The chain said the move marks the first step towards normal trading under the government's roadmap to lifting restrictions by June 21.
On April 12, hundreds of Greene King pubs will reopen for outdoor services, including 28 in Merseyside, reports the Mirror.
Bookings for garden tables will be available online from March 26, with guests encouraged to book in advance. There will also be availability for walk-ins.
Almost all will operate with reduced opening hours and menus due to ongoing limitations.
Nick Mackenzie, Greene King chief executive, said two thirds of the chain's pubs will remain closed until May, subject to government approval, the majority of which do not have outdoor drinking areas.
Nick said: "It's great that we can finally open outdoor areas in some of our pubs after such a long period of lockdown and we can’t wait to start welcoming our customers back, safely.
"Sadly, we can only open around a third of our estate in April where we have outdoor space that will work and have a chance of being viable, but we know the vital role pubs play in communities and feel it’s important to open as many as we can to help people get back together once again."
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He added: "We look forward to May when we can open many more of our pubs, and the all-important return to normality in June when the restrictions are fully removed, and we can start to rebuild our businesses.
“Until then, we all have our fingers crossed for sunshine and warm temperatures in April!"
Greene King pubs opening in Merseyside on April 12:
Allerton Hall (Liverpool) Merseyside
Arrowe Park (Wirral) Merseyside
Bear & Staff (Gateacre) Merseyside
Black Horse (Old Swan) Merseyside
Black Horse (Walton) Merseyside
Bold Arms (Southport) Merseyside
Bromborough (Wirral) Merseyside
Caernarvon Castle (Prenton) Merseyside
Carr Mill (St Helens) Merseyside
Cottage Loaf (Thurstaston) Merseyside
Cross House Inn (Formby) Merseyside
Freshfield (Liverpool) Merseyside
Gerard Arms (St Helens) Merseyside
Glass Horse (St Helens) Merseyside
Harvest Mouse (Heswall) Merseyside
Jolly Miller (West Derby) Merseyside
Lighthouse (Wallasey) Merseyside
Masons Arms (Old Swan) Merseyside
Mersey Clipper (Birkenhead) Merseyside
Nags Head (Crosby) Merseyside
Netherton (Litherland) Merseyside
Park Hotel (Southport) Merseyside
Pump House (Liverpool) Merseyside
Railway (Meols) Merseyside
Red Cat (Greasby) Merseyside
Sefton Arms (West Derby) Merseyside
Shrewsbury Arms (Oxton) Merseyside
Willow Bank (Liverpool) Merseyside
