As pubs and restaurants across Cornwall reopen to customers again today for the first time in nearly four months, a number have gone the extra mile to make sure as many customers can visit while still staying safe.

All pubs have to comply with certain new safety rules, which include seats spread further apart, Track and Trace information being taken and protective equipment, with many also introducing one-way systems and table service.

Read more: What you can and can't do when pubs reopen in Cornwall this weekend

However, some have taken extra steps to make sure that people are able to socially distance safely while still making that long-awaited trip back to the bar.

The Red Lion, Helston

Falmouth Packet:

Photo: The Red Lion

The pub's long dreamed of beer garden has been completed just in time for the reopening of pubs this Saturday.

The £80,000 project, including the cost of the land, features a decking area with a capacity of up to 200 people under normal circumstances - although the figure is likely to be less during social distancing - as well as grassed area for picnic benches and has taken around eight weeks to complete.

Martin Cooke, who bought the pub at auction in 2016 and whose daughter Hayley Nicholas is the landlady, said: "Ever since I bought the place I've had my eye on the land at the back.

"It's probably the best open space there is in town and we want people to see it as that open space they can use, even just for coffee and children's drinks."

The land previously came with the former JobCentre, but when this closed the building and the land were separated. The Fishermen's Mission is now relocating its only UK charity shop to the building.

Read more: Meet who is moving in to Helston's former JobCentre building

It means that customers will be able to spread out further when the pub reopens at 11am tomorrow and every day after that.

The pub has also introduced table ordering, where customers have the option of messaging the pub's Facebook page when their drinks are running low, so that they are ready to collect and pay for at special collection point in the back bar without waiting around.

It is not taking bookings, operating a first-come first-seated system and one-in one-out once a safe capacity has been reached.

A number of pubs have put up extra outdoor covering in the form of marquees. They include:

The Pandora Inn, Restronguet

Falmouth Packet:

Photo: The Pandora Inn

Described as a temporary additional facility for this summer, the marquee has been added to the seating area immediately outside the pub, before the pontoon.

Read next: Live updates on the day Cornwall is back in business

The pub said on its Facebook page: "The Pandora Inn is a seasonal business and we make our profit during the peak summer months - due to the circumstances that we find ourselves in, 50 per cent of the profitable period has gone, so we have added a temporary cover to our terrace to try and extend the outside dining options if the weather is bad.

"We hope this will help us trade well enough whilst we are allowed to do so to secure the 50 or so jobs of our lovely team.

"We apologise unreservedly to those people who will comment that we have spoilt the view but stress that this is a temporary and removable addition and will go at the end of the summer."

Read next: Wetherspoons to scrap popular feature when their pubs reopen

The Queen's Arms, Breage

Falmouth Packet:

Photo: The Queen's Arms

Another pub following that route, the Queen's Arms has put a marquee on land next to its play area.

Inside there is both table seating and hay bale picnic areas, giving people the chance to still sit outside but be under cover whatever the weather.

The pub is also running table service inside, including for drinks, and a designated queuing system leading to the bar for those ordering the marquee.

The Working Boat, Falmouth

Falmouth Packet:

Photo: The Working Boat

The pub was one of the first to announce its plans for large marquee, which it believes will be town’s biggest covered outdoor licensed space.

This is placed on its private quay next to the Greenbank Hotel and will be in-situ through the summer.

Drinks can be bought from the pub’s horsebox bar and there will also be outside public toilets and full table service, meaning people do not have to go inside at all.

The Atlantic Inn, Porthleven

Landlady Leigh Santi walks customers through what the pub has in place, in this video:

Wheal Dream, Helston

The restaurant on the new Helston to Wendron road is creating a new outside area ready to reopen on Friday, July 17.

It said: "We are so very lucky to be able to offer a large outside and inside space for you to be able to enjoy a drink or something to eat whilst at a safe social distance.

"We are putting the finishing touches to our new menus and are very excited to publish these next week along with our new opening hours."

Steps from other pubs include: 

- The Boathouse, Falmouth is building a new patio area for extra outdoor seating and will not be accepting cash for the time being.

- The Beehive, Helston are enforcing photograph ID on arrival as part of their Track and Trace data collection, there is table service only and a one-way system limiting numbers to adhere to the one metre plus rule.

And restaurants have also been putting in place extra measures. They include:

- The Gylly Beach Cafe in Falmouth, where customers will be asked to take a temperature check on entry. They have also entirely redecorated and deep cleaned, have added screens at the counter and are limiting numbers inside and out.

- Rick Steins Fish, Falmouth will have an app for customers to order on, as well as a one-way system.

  • Are you a pub or restaurant owner doing anything particularly different as you reopen? Let us know the details by emailing editorial@packetseries.co.uk