Outdoor hospitality in Blaenavon and Pontypool reopens

After more than four months of lockdown - and after watching publicans in England reopen two weeks ago - the hospitality industry has been able to reopen in Wales from Monday, April 26, albeit for outside service only.

Dayne Watkins, from Butterflies Bar and Kitchen in Blaenavon, said they had been working hard in the beer garden ahead of reopening.

"It's been really good," he said. "We've been almost fully booked for lunch. Our customers are all in good spirits.

"It's been a long four months. Hopefully this is the last one.

"We carried on with a takeaway service throughout lockdown. We've been keeping ourselves busy doing takeaways and getting the garden ready.

"We've got a bigger marquee this year. It holds about 50 or 60. And we've got the area at the bottom too, that seats around 20. That's with all the social distancing as well."

Gerwyn Evans, owner of The Rising Sun in Abersychan. Picture: Gerwyn Evans.

And Gerwyn Evans, owner of the Rising Sun in Abersychan was delighted to be returning.

"It's been absolutely fantastic," he said. "If you run a pub, you're a sociable person anyway, so to have had that taken away from us has been tough.

"For a Monday, it's been very busy. It's been a lot of work. There's been a lot of planning and a lot of hard work to get everything Covid-friendly.

"I don't think there's been enough information out there for the public - I don't think they have been told they need to book. On the news, all you get is that pubs are open.

"The council provided a good forum on the guidance and Track and Trace for us but there's not anything for the public.

"It's going to be weather-dependant until May 17. If it rains, this will be a washout. We're okay at the moment, but hopefully we'll be able to open inside sooner as they seem to be bringing things forward.

"But in general, I think people are just happy it's back."