A number of city beer gardens and outdoor cafes reopened for the first time in 15 weeks this week.
From Monday, pubs and bars with outdoor beer gardens and cafes with outdoor seating were permitted to allow customers back to enjoy their favourite tipple.
Whilst pubs and restaurants should be able to welcome customers back through their doors from July 15, those with beer gardens were allowed to serve thirsty customers from Monday.
Vinneys Bar in Drip Road was one of just a handful of pubs to reopen its doors after being granted a provisional license to set up a beer garden until October.
Publican Vinney Coyle was delighted to welcome old regulars and new customers on Monday. He said: “It was a nice pleasant day which helped.
“It was really nice to see some of our older clientèle that we haven’t seen in a long time because of all this.”
In the pub’s beer garden they have built 10 ‘pens’ to seat tables of up to four people, all equipped with anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. They have implemented a reservation process for booking tables and any tables not pre-booked will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
“It was just nice to see some of our older customers, some of them aged in their 80s, but the only thing they were missing was a game of dominoes,” Vinney added.
“The relief of just pouring a pint again was brilliant.”
One other popular watering which served its first customers in almost four months was the Kilted Kangaroo in Upper Craigs.
Manager Neil Campbell welcomed the reopening with increased safety measures in place to protect staff and pubgoers. Tables have been set out two metres apart and all customers must make a prior reservation.
To keep face-to-face contact to a minimum, the venue has developed a bespoke order-to-table app, where customers can order food and drink
Kilted Kangaroo employees underwent rigorous training ahead of reopening and are supplied with PPE visors, face masks and gloves. They will also pass through temperature screening ahead of every shift.
Customers are also being screened on entry. Anyone who fails the temperature check will be asked to go away for 15 minutes then return for re-checking.
The Meadowpark Pub and Kitchen in Kenilworth Road, Bridge of Allan, is gearing up for its reopening this weekend.
A host of other pubs and bars have decided to hold off until July 15 to reopen.
As well as pubs, a number of city cafes saw their first customers return with outdoor seating including The Ground House and The Burgh Coffee House, both in King Street.
- If any businesses reopening wish to advertise within the pages of the Stirling Observer then email our advertising rep Elaine Reid at elaine.reid@reachplc.com
