Pub chain reopening times and plans for May 17 revealed including Wetherspoons and Greene King
WETHERSPOONS and Greene King are among the pubs making plans for the return of indoor drinking.
Boozers are back in business for serving food and drink inside from next Monday, May 17.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates
Pubs opened their doors for the first time in months on April 12, but only to offer outdoor drinking and dining.
And from next week, establishments will be able to welcome customers indoors too after the PM confirmed lockdown restrictions could be eased further as planned.
Holidays abroad to green list countries can go ahead too, and social distancing rules will be relaxed giving the greenlight to hugs with family and friends.
But pubgoers will still have to follow certain rules when they go back to drinking indoors.
Table service and the Rule of Six will continue to apply, but groups of up to 30 are allowed in beer gardens.
Here’s what you’ll find at your fave pub chains from May 17.
Greene King
Another 1,848 Greene King pubs will welcome back customers from Monday – 948 managed branches and 900 tenanted boozers.
They will join the 600 Green King pubs in England, Scotland and Wales that are already open for service.
The remaining 30 pubs in England won’t open until June 21, when lockdown restrictions are expected to ease further, because the layout doesn’t allow for social distancing.
Boozers will be operating normal hours too, but these vary by branch.
You can find out when your local will reopen by typing in your postcode in the free locator tool.
All pubs will be offering a full menu, with pub classics available to order including fish and chips, and steak and ale pie.
Marston’s
All 1,500 Marston’s pubs will be opening to welcome customers for indoor drinking and dining from May 17.
Pubs will continue to offer table service in line with Government guidance, and customers can place orders on the Marston’s Tap website.
What rules are currently in place at the pub?
THE rules Brits need to stick to while at their local are more relaxed compared to when pubs were last open - but some restrictions will remain in place.
The 10pm curfew has been scrapped, and punters won’t have to buy a scotch egg or any other food to get served alcohol.
However, social distancing will remain in place at least until autumn, with measures set to be reconsidered in the summer when more people are vaccinated.
Boozers will have to stick to the “rule of six” limits or be in a party with no more than two households present, while abiding to two-metre distancing from others.
Pub-goers aged 16 and over have to check in to NHS Test and Trace or provide their contact details to staff.
Customers must also order, eat and drink while seated at a table and if they head to the toilet or elsewhere, then face masks must be worn, unless exempt.
This is expected to stay all summer as a compromise for the early reopening.
Alternatively, customers will still be able to book all outdoor seating that has been made available since April 12.
Punters can book a table but the pub chain says it’s not essential and walk-ins are also welcome.
Nearly 700 Marston’s pubs opened in April to start serving drinks outside.
You can find your closest Marston’s pub using this online tool.
O’Neill’s
All 41 O’Neill’s pubs will reopen on May 17, the chain has confirmed to The Sun.
Opening times will depend on your local pub and you can find your nearest using this online store finder.
There will be normal opening times in England with Scottish pubs restricted to closing at 10.30pm based on local Government guidance.
Welsh pub opening times may depend on Government rules which have not been announced yet.
O’Neill’s is advising booking in advance but they will be offering walk-ins too, if available, and there will be reduced capacity compared to normal for social distancing.
There will be a full food menu at the Mitchells & Butlers owned pub chain.
Stonegate Pub Company
Stonegate Pub Company operates over 700 pubs and bars across the UK but it is yet to confirm its reopening plans from May 17.
Around 45% of its England estate is already open for outdoor dining, in line with Government guidelines.
Opening times vary depending on the branch but the earliest some open is from 8am, when they serve breakfast.
However, it’s best to check online for specific pub opening times. You can find your nearest Stonegate Pub on its website.
The chain is also yet to confirm whether it will be offering a full or reduced menu.
Wetherspoons
Wetherspoons is opening 860 of its pubs on May 17 for indoor service, The Sun exclusively revealed.
Pubs will open from 8am until midnight from Sunday through to Thursday, and 8am until 1am on Friday and Saturday.
The full menu is back on at the popular pub chain – along with meal clubs too like curry and steak nights.
A further 309 Wetherspoons pubs will open their doors again when restrictions lift, including a new branch, The Buck Inn in Northallerton.
It follows the reopening of over 400 Wetherspoons branches last month serving drinks and a limited menu in beer gardens, rooftop gardens and patios only.
Six pubs the chain won’t be reopening – two at the NEC in Birmingham, and ones at Stansted, Doncaster, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports.
Young’s
Young’s will be opening all 220 of it’s pubs in the UK for indoor service from next Monday.
On it’s website it say pubs are accepting bookings for up to six people from different households or bigger groups of two households to sit inside.
However, it is yet to confirm whether it will be offering a full menu.
Opening hours vary by pub so you’ll need to check when doors open at your local by using the free locator tool.
It comes after 144 pubs reopened their beer gardens and terraces on April 12.
Most read in Money
You can find your nearest Young’s pub by checking its website.
Check out all the businesses allowed to open from May 17 when restrictions are lifted.
These are still some businesses that won’t be able to reopen on May 17 – here’s the full list