WHEN Rafferty's Tavern general manager Mark McIlroy heard outdoor dining would be a prominent feature once restrictions eased he came up with a plan.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Wednesday the final touches were being done to a marquee which will hopefully get punters back to the pub. Mr McIlroy said under the step three of the restrictions the marquee will have to have two sides up to be considered an outdoor area.
"So what we've got is depending on which way the wind comes will be which sides we roll back," he said.
He said there were plans for a shipping container bar to be installed in the marquee and for a second marquee to be added when restrictions ease further.
"We're will working within the restrictions so a cap of 50 outside," he said. "When we get out of the restrictions we have the ability to open up the full 150 square metres because we've got another marquee going in.
Listen to the latest episode of our weekly episode The Booletin and Beyond:
"When we heard that outside dining was going to be prominent we decided that we had to come up with a plan that would enable us to fit as many people as we could and what we're trying to do is create some really cool areas." Mr McIlroy said the pub had continued to serve takeaway meals during the second lockdown but he and staff were keen to get people back into the hotel.
"We're looking forward to being able to serve people and have people around," he said. "It has been a bit of a ghost town and a tough time for everybody." The pub will be taking bookings for lunch and dinner sittings from Thursday.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.
