Bars, restaurants, cinemas and other venues across the East Midlands have welcomed the biggest lifting of restrictions this year.
The latest update means hospitality businesses such as pubs, cafés, soft play centres and hotels and B&Bs can once again serve customers indoors.
Despite the huge economic impact of the last year on trading, many business owners were optimistic about getting going again.
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Ashley Rushton, manager at Derby coffee shop BEAR summed up the mood when he said: “It’s great to be back and we are looking forward to seeing people’s faces again. We have got bookings across the week.
“It’s been a long time since December but hopefully it will be worth it so we can get back to normal. Furlough has been great but people just want to get back to work.”
Ragdale Hall Spa, in the north Leicestershire countryside near Melton, closed its doors in March 2020, re-opened last August, then closed again six months ago.
Co-owner Michael Isaacs said: “It goes without saying that 2020/2021 has been an incredibly challenging time for Ragdale Hall Spa, the hospitality industry greatly and the world generally.
“Due to lockdown restrictions we have been closed to the public for almost a year so needless to say that the entire team have been eagerly awaiting our reopening.
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“We will be taking a very cautious approach to our reopening by limiting numbers across the Hall and observing government guidelines for a safe and secure environment for both guests and staff.
“We hope to be able to increase numbers gradually once restrictions relax and will announce details accordingly as and when across our website and social media.
“We’re also pleased to announce that with so many of guests seeking ‘fresh air therapy’, over the coming weeks we will also be upgrading our outdoor facilities with more options for outdoor dining and plenty of space to relax in the gardens and grounds.
“We are sincerely grateful to our wonderful loyal guests who supported us through lockdown with messages of encouragement and support and the incredible response at the original announcement of our reopening in February, in line with the Government Road Map.”
Over in Leicester a new ‘We Miss You’ campaign aims to make reopening as safe as possible.
City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Leicester has so much to offer, but sadly we’ve all been unable to enjoy much of it over the last 14 months.
“This campaign is the first step of putting that right.
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“We are working with local businesses across the city to ensure they can reopen safety, and in a way that reassures customers and encourages them to take those first steps back to rediscovering Leicester’s huge range of hospitality, entertainment and retail.”
Aman Kular, who owns the Tamatanga restaurant in Trinity Square Nottingham, said they had pulled out all the stops to make the place welcoming again. They have also transformed the previously brown restaurant with illuminated trees, hanging plants, neon signs and a huge tiger mural.
He said: ‘’It’s not a refurb, it’s a complete overhaul. I’m feeling really positive.”
Nottingham’s Cafe Sobar, which raises money for to the drugs and alcohol charity Double Impact, had to rely on the charity to stay afloat during lockdown.
General manager Jason Loftus said: ‘’It’s a mix of excitement, anxiety and trepidation but we are very happy to be back.
‘’We tried to do takeaway but it was costing us more to keep our doors open. Because the profits go to charity we had to be very protective.
‘’It was very upsetting because we didn’t know if we would be able to reopen.’’
The cafe is hoping to slowly resume all of its community groups, that meet there including a youth group and menopause group.
As well as places opening up again, people will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people and indoors in groups of up to six people or a maximum of two households or bubbles, whichever is larger.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles described it as "another crucial milestone in our economic recovery" with pubs, restaurants, cafés, cinemas and other businesses celebrating the opportunity to either expand their capacity or reopen for the first time this year.
He said: “Those businesses have been hit harder than most during the pandemic, but we’ve argued all along that they will be viable in a fully functioning and open economy.
“So it’s vitally important our communities are ready to support them now they are able to once more.
“Business confidence has returned strongly in recent months due to the success of the vaccine rollout and bold assurances from the Prime Minister about the direction of travel, with the latest Quarterly Economic Survey by East Midlands Chamber showing a net 53 per cent of businesses expected their turnover to improve over the coming year, with a third anticipating a rise in profits.
“For this belief – and, as a consequence, our economic recovery – to be maintained, businesses will need to see today as just one more step towards normality.
“That means they require certainty about what the future holds, including the fourth stage of the roadmap commencing irreversibly as planned on June 21.”