Bars, pubs and restaurants in and around Lincoln are getting ready to reopen on Saturday as the country tries to gradually ease back into a kind of ‘new normal’ after more than 100 days of coronavirus lockdown.
Several venue will be doing table service only and minimal staff contact is encouraged as part of the government guidelines, while some are allowing socially distanced ordering at the bar behind protective screens.
The Lincolnite spoke to the managers at Craft and The Imp & Angel micropub about how they planned to reopen on July 4.
See latest list of pubs and restaurants opening in and around Lincoln on July 4.
Craft
What Craft looks like inside ahead of reopening on July 4. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
On arrival, customers will be greeted by staff and have to scan a QR code using the camera on their phone for track and trace purposes.
They will then be taken to their seats – tables in the bar have been spaced out to follow social distancing guidelines.
Clear guidance is signposted for customers at Craft. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Craft will open from 12pm on Saturday. It will have a reduced capacity of 160 people, including outside.
Orders can be placed via an app or customers can go to the bar if they are stood on the appropriate socially distanced markings. Table booking is not required, but if the bar reaches its permitted capacity it will stop letting people in.
Customers at Craft will be encouraged to use the app, but can still order at the bar providing they stand in the appropriate markings. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Make sure you follow and use the socially distanced floor markings at Craft. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
David Nejrup, Operations Manager at Craft, said: “We are feeling excited. It is an encouraging first step back to some sort of normal.
“We had a full team training day yesterday (July 2). We understand things will be different for a while and there will be challenges along the way, but we are excited to get back.”
David added that owners Redmed Ltd are opening Craft to understand how customers are going to use the facilities. The intention is to then open The Curiosity Shop and the ground floor of Home, which will operate as a bar, in the coming weeks.
The adapted beer garden at Craft. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The food and cocktail menu will be limited slightly, but you’ll still be able to get many of your favourites at Craft. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Make sure you use the hand sanitiser stations provided. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Axholme Media produced another video for Craft to show how the track and trace and app ordering will work:
Imp & Angel
Lee Lucas (right), owner of the Imp & Angel, with Kev Brown (left), who helped build the bar. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lee Lucas, owner of the Imp & Angel micropub on the High Street, said: “It will be great to be back and we are observing the rules strictly. As a responsible landlord the message we want to get out is for people to adhere to the rules so it can be short-term, because none of us can afford a second lockdown as that would financially ruin us all.
“The onus is on landlords and bar staff to qualify what their client’s circumstances are so we can avoid a second spike. The guidelines make sense if people follow them and we are looking forward to being back.”
Stools and tables have been spaced out more inside The Imp & Angel. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Inside The Imp & Angel. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The micropub on lower Lincoln High Streetnormally has a capacity of around 35. On Saturday the exact capacity will depend on social bubbles.
Lee said the worst case scenario would be only 11, if people are all from different households, but if customers are from the same social bubble more will be allowed in. No booking is required, but capacity will be limited.
Customers will need to use hand sanitiser on arrival and when leaving The Imp & Angel. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Name and arrival time will be recorded, along with a customer phone number if they feel comfortable to do so, but the latter is not compulsory. Hand sanitiser must also be used on arrival and exit from the pub.
Walkabout is one of the many bars reopening on July 4. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Walkabout’s guidance ahead of its reopening on July 4. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
We would like to speak to him in connection with a reported assault at a venue on North Street, Cleethorpes, in the early hours of Sunday 24 July.
It was reported that a man assaulted another man, who was taken to hospital for treatment on his injuries.
Extensive enquiries have been ongoing, but if you are the man in the images, or if you know who he is, you can contact us on 101, quoting log 141 of 25 July.
We are appealing for witnesses following an alleged robbery at around 2.30pm in North Parade, Grantham yesterday (18 August).
This offence took place in the middle of the afternoon in a busy area, and we believe that there may be people who witnessed this, or may have captured the incident itself or the group of youths in the moments before or after in the surrounding streets.
We are asking our community if they have any CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage they can share which could help with our enquiries. We are particularly keen to hear from any drivers who may have been in North Parade at around 2.30pm who have dashcam.
Officers were called to reports that a teenage boy had been approached by a group of around five youths, all boys or young men, who had demanded he hand over a designer bag. One of the group is then reported to have punched the victim to the head, causing an injury before taking the bag. All five then left the area.
Several of the youths were on bikes, wearing black balaclavas and one is reported to have been wearing a light blue tracksuit.
Officers carried out an immediate search of the surrounding streets, and arrested two people in connection with the offence within 40 minutes of the incident being reported.
The bag taken has been recovered.
A 13-year-old boy and a 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of robbery have released on police bail while investigations continue.
If you can help there are a number of ways to get in touch:
By calling 101 quoting incident 223 of 18 August.
By emailing force.[email protected] quoting incident 223 of 18 August in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 orĀ online.