Inverness pubs welcome back customers as beer gardens open for first time since coronavirus lockdown
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Drinkers in the Highlands returned to pubs for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.
Don Lawson, who runs Johnny Foxes in Bank Street, Inverness took around 60 bookings for today's reopening and said: "Our number one priority is to keep staff and customers safe and secure.
"We have a high standard of what customers expect when they venture out and our aim is to demonstrate that visiting the pub again can be an enjoyable and safe experience.
"We are all exited about being back at work but we also understand the balance between health and the wellbeing of the business.
"The measures we have in place have been welcomed, it’s the new normal, totally different from pre-lockdown. We have missed our customers and the feedback we are getting today is they have missed us and the pub too."
Bruce MacGregor, who owns MacGregors in Academy Street, said they were fully booked for tonight and expected to cater for around 40 people.
He said: "That allows us to ensure social distancing and take into consideration the fact it’s drinking outside in Scotland."
He said the pub was only opening for a few hours a day to begin with and added: "Food will only be served at weekends until we work out what the new market is going to want – I'd be very surprised if it goes back to what it was before the outbreak.
"We’re working with some of the very best street food operators over the next month, so people can expect a real treat every weekend."
Customers are expected to be able to drink and dine indoors in pubs, restaurants and cafés from July 15.
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