When will beer gardens reopen?

With the continued good weather in the UK and blue skies with warm sunshine forecast for the weeks ahead, many Brits have been daydreaming about when they can enjoy a cold pint in their local pub garden.

There is hope that pubs with beer gardens could reopen sooner than hotels and restaurants, which are currently scheduled to start reopening from July 4, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday that he had asked scientists to review the two-metre social distancing rule.

Mr Johnson said: ‘On hospitality… we are really trying to go as fast as we can. It is really difficult to bring forward hospitality measures in a way that involves social distancing.’

When will beer gardens reopen?

An exact date for when pubs with beer gardens may reopen hasn’t been announced yet, but many establishments have started drawing up plans to implement Covid-safe outdoor areas after speculation that they could reopen from July 4.

Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live

Environment Secretary George Eustice has said that pubs with beer gardens will likely be the first venues to reopen as lockdown measures ease, but that won’t be until at least July at the earliest.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, he said: ‘The sectors that are going to have the greatest challenge getting back to work, which we recognise, and I’m sure the Chancellor recognises this too – the hospitality sector and some of those other ticketed venues, in particular cinemas and in particular theatres, restaurants and pubs, will also face a challenge getting back in to operation.

‘And that is why we won’t be loosening the restrictions on them until at least July and even then it is likely that in the case of pubs and restaurants it will begin with beer gardens and outdoor areas only.’

The devolved governments in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland will likely be able to set their own rules and timings for which venues can reopen.

Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Share your views in the comments below.