Hambledon’s local, the Merry Harriers, is hoping to reopen in mid-April to serve food and drink outdoors, following the Government’s announcement of a phased lifting of lockdown restrictions.
The announcement this week stated that restaurants and pubs with gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outside, including alcoholic drinks, from April 12th. There will no longer be a requirement to eat a “substantial meal”.
In a posting on social media the Harriers said that it plans to reopen on Thursday April 15th. The earliest it will be able to receive customers indoors is May 17th.
It is likely that Hambledon Village Hall will be able to reopen at the same time, following the lifting of restrictions that required the closure of community building.
Around the village, people will be able to meet outside, including in gardens, with either another household group or as a group of six from March 29th.
The lifting of lockdown measures will begin next month with the reopening of schools on March 8th and continues at intervals until June 21st when it is hoped all legal limits on social contact will be removed. However, this is dependent on there being no significant rise in infection rates causing a surge in hospital admissions; that the vaccine roll-out continues to reduce the numbers of people dying or needing hospital treatment; and that there are no new coronavirus variants resulting in an increase in infections.
In the meantime, an absence of cars in the pub car park and empty tables and chairs in the garden, should not be taken as an indication that nothing is going on at the Merry Harriers. As manager Jake Andreou reports, appearances can be deceptive.
“For many people, another lockdown is a pause to normal working life. Not so at the Merry Harriers. Whether we are open or closed there is always something that needs doing. Lockdowns for us have always meant an opportunity to take stock of our situation, and to work on improving the things that make the Harriers a wonderful place to eat, drink, and stay.
The work towards reopening begins almost as soon as we close. For those of us on site this has meant a shift from being chefs and servers to being gardeners, handymen, and painters and decorators. Floors will be varnished, tables will be polished, walls will be painted, chimneys will be swept, and flowerbeds will be tidied and planted. We have never really got into the mindset of being in a lockdown when there is still so much to work on and look forward to.
We may have more time for the odd jobs than we did when we were open, but that does not mean that the business side of things has been static. Every day we continue to receive calls and emails enquiring after accommodation, tables in the restaurant, and llama treks. The level of interest and support we have received from customers, both new and returning, has been both touching and encouraging.
We know how important it is for people at the moment to find a sense of normality and escapism in something as simple as a weekend getaway, dining out, or just going for a dog walk and a drink in the pub, and we look forward to being able to welcome you all back to those simple but special times.
While looking forward to these familiar comforts we also have new projects to look forward to, including a new menu that chef Nick Ash and I have been developing. Working on our special Christmas menu before the current lockdown gave us an opportunity to think imaginatively about our dining experience, and we have kept this creativity going. Traditional pub classics are of course a staple, and will continue to be so, but we have also been working on a variety of seasonal and sophisticated dishes for those looking forward to a more special dining-out experience. We look forward to being able to share this with you when we reopen.
During our current lockdown it can often feel as if we are living in a world of uncertainty. But what I can tell you for certain is that we are still running the business, we are still working on improving, and soon we will be able to work on opening our doors again.”