JD Wetherspoon has announced it will open beer gardens, roof top gardens and patios at 394 of its 872 pubs in England from Monday 12 April.
The sites will be open from 9am to 9pm between Sunday and Thursday, and 9am to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, although some venues have restrictions on closing times so may shut earlier.
Test and trace systems will be in operation at all pubs, with hand sanitisers also available.
Advert
While each site is only permitted to open its outdoor space for service, customers will be allowed to go through the pub to go to the toilet, or to access the outside area.
Food will also be available seven days a week from 9am to 8pm, with a 'slightly reduced menu' on offer that includes breakfast, burgers, pizza, deli deals, fish and chips and British classics.
Customers will be able to order and pay through the Wetherspoon app or via table service.
Advert
The pubs will not be operating a booking system, meaning people will have to simply turn up to get a table.
Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said: "We are looking forward to welcoming our customers and staff back to our pubs."
The government recently announced that hospitality venues would hopefully be allowed to open to the public for outdoor service only from 12 April, as part of a roadmap easing England out of lockdown.
Last year, the government simplified and reduced the cost of the licensing process for outdoor seating and stalls - the rules also meant that pubs and restaurants with car parks and other outdoor spaces were able to use them as drinking/dining areas under their current seating licences.
Advert
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government told LADbible these rules would be staying in place for the forthcoming easing of restrictions.
This means that, if your local hasn't got a beer garden but does have a car park, then it might be able to open in April - rather than having to hang on until indoor service in May.
As well as this, there will also be temporary changes to licensing laws which will allow more licensed premises to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises - meaning people can buy drinks for a pub and then take them away to drink elsewhere.
Advert
Speaking when the move was first announced last June, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "I know we all look forward to seeing our pubs, cafes and restaurants open their doors again and I'm determined to give them a helping hand to get back on their feet and their staff back to work safely.
"That's why we are introducing changes to make it quicker, easier and cheaper for them to set up outdoor seating and street stalls to serve food and drink."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Pubs