Covid roadmap: Warrington pubs and restaurants on reopening

One restaurant owner in Stockton Heath told us he had to sell his house and downsize to keep things ticking over while a bar manager had to reschedule his wedding three times while worrying about his business.

But, as restrictions largely lifted on the hospitality sector at the beginning of the week as part of the Covid 'roadmap', it was remarkable how positive undefeated venue owners were feeling.

"It’s been horrendous but we’ve done it. Thankfully we’re still here," said Marc Smith, of Terrace Bistro in Stockton Heath.

"We were last open on Christmas Eve. We’ve done things like the takeaway Bistro Box but it’s not the same.

"The thing about us is it’s not just the food, it’s the whole experience including the service and the environment.

"The closure has been really hard as my wife and I have had to sell our house and downsize. We used the money to pay off a finance deal, moved to a much smaller house in a different area and have started again really.

"But we know the restaurant works and is up there with the best. Without the restrictions we know we can make decent money."

Terrace Bistro

The team have kept busy by refurbishing the London Road restaurant during the lockdown. The most noticeable change is a Mediterranean-style window that completely opens out.

Marc, a former Priestley College student, added: "We’ve been renovating the restaurant and changing it around. Without the lockdown we wouldn’t have been able to do that so we do see some positives

"We’ve done a lot of it ourselves such as the floor, the partitions and the wall so the chefs have been out of the kitchen and on their hands and knees.

"We’ll bounce back. We can’t wait to reopen. Our diary for the next couple of months is crazy."

Well established music bar Friars Court was looking forward to welcoming people indoors when we visited ahead of the opening hours on Monday.

Si Pugsley used the downtime during the first lockdown to fully refurbish Friars.

The town centre venue in Barbauld Street was able to reopen in July 2020 but made the hard decision to close three months later when restrictions made their mark on trade.

Friars was then finally able to reopen its courtyard in April 2021 when outdoor hospitality was permitted.

Si said: "I think with every stage it brings around a few new challenges and few anxious moments but we’re confident.

"We’ve done a lot with the venue and we’re confident we’ve got a good offer going forward.

"There have been loads of things to get up and running. People can order at the bar and we’ve been doing things like getting the till system set back up.

"You’re always thinking what is going to happen next but at some point we’ve got to have a bit of faith in the vaccines.

"But of course it’s a worry on a personal level and business level. I should have got married last April to my fiancée Hayley and the date has been changed three times.

Friars Court

"I’m booked in again for September this year and we’re hopeful all the restrictions will be lifted by then.

"On a business level, I’m wanting to open next door (FC2) on June 21 and every day I’m checking the news.

"Until restrictions lift completely it’s going to be a challenge for everybody."

Si has lost some of his team during the Covid era and has found it a challenge to recruit.

He added: "I think people are a bit anxious about coming into the industry in case it locks down again and people move to different jobs.

"When people get used to not doing the long hours and the late hours it can be tough to go back to it.

"Coming back to late nights and then getting up in the morning with the kids was something I had to get used to again.

"But overall I’m delighted to be back. I’m really pleased to be back open again and hopefully we can all look forward to a degree of normality.

"It’s a massive day for all of us – it’s not just pubs and bars, it’s cinemas and cafes and museums and every walk of life.

"But I think the amount of customers coming out will be subdued for a while until confidence returns. It will take some time for people to socialise again and get back in that mindset that it is normal to be around others again."

Maison Fleur in Stockton Heath had had a very tough time because the restaurant was set to launch just as the lockdown hit.

Owner Kenny Valentin said: "It’s been a very long journey as we were ready to open at the beginning of March 2020.

"So we delayed that because of everything that was happening. After that we opened between July and October.

"It was challenging because all of my staff here were new. They weren’t eligible for the furlough because they had just joined the company.

"I look after my team so we supported them with our own money and everyone we hired in March 2020 are still with us today."

Maison Fleur

The crisis also overshadowed the Walton Road international tapas restaurant's launch and to a large extent the team are still trying to get their name out in the village's competitive food and drink scene.

Kenny added: "We’ve been here since March 2020 but we’ve only been open in that time a few months so we’re quite new to the village in a way.

"We’re a little outside the centre as well so we need to shout out about being here and create an offer that make customers go those extra few steps.

"That’s why we're introducing live singers. I believe that Stockton Heath is going to be busy again. People have been stuck in for so long and they want to enjoy everything again.

"We just need to ensure we don’t go back in lockdown again. We need to respect all the rules and that is difficult for us because we want to please all our customers and for them to have a good time. It is difficult balance.

"The big day will be Friday night which we have a lot of bookings for. I think people are excited."

Back in the town centre we met Neil Sparkes at the White Hart.

The former Great Sankey High student runs nine hospitality venues, including five in Warrington. He is still feeling cautious about what the next month or so could bring.

Neil said: "I wouldn’t say we are back to normality as there are still so many restrictions in place. So the pub doesn’t have the same feel and we’re still having to police people.

"I don’t think you can enjoy your visit as much as you would do normally as you’ve got all these rules in the back of your mind but it is obviously getting better.

"It’s been tough but we’re still here. That’s the main thing. If you can come through the other side you’re doing well and hopefully we’ll come back stronger.

White Hart

"I was optimistic until this new variant came along especially when the Prime Minister said the final step in the roadmap could be delayed.

"That has put a dampener on things. It was looking like things were going really well. Rates in Warrington are low but Bolton’s only a stone’s throw away.

"My concern is going back to square one as I don’t know how many lockdowns we can take. Every time we lockdown we end up wasting so much food.

"My nightclub Level has been closed since last March and that won’t open any time soon because that can’t relaunch until social distancing is completely removed."

There were already several diners at the White Hart when we visited at lunchtime on Monday but Neil would have liked the Sankey Street pub to be busier.

He added: "We have more bookings than we’d normally have but they are for the evening. So I’m happy and I just have to hope that continues.

"The good thing now is we don’t have to serve people outside because that was hard. The first two weeks we had gorgeous weather and we did awesome trade but after that it was a wash out. It’s not enjoyable to be out in the cold."

Neil, who has 23 staff at White Hart and a team of 183 across all his venues, also innovated during the lockdown periods with the likes of cocktail sets delivered to people's doors in Warrington.

He said: "We have tried to keep as many staff off furlough as possible and keep as much money coming into business as possible by offering takeaway services.

"The cocktail deliveries were really popular."