A pub, restaurant and hotel in the Tyne Valley is ready to welcome back customers indoors following the easing of lockdown restrictions earlier this week.

The Manor House in Haltwhistle re-opened its indoor areas to customers on Monday (May 17) for meals, drinks and also for overnight stays.

“We reopened (outdoors) on the second weekend in April (five days after we could have),” said the businesses manager Carla Robinson

“We could have opened on the day the rules changed but we decided just to do the weekend because we weren’t sure how it was (going to be).

“The weekends have been really busy

“The first two weeks in April (was) glorious sunshine so we thought we’d give it a go to open all week then the lovely British weather came and it was just constant rain the whole time!

“Then we just went back to being open at weekends.”

However, as restrictions have eased further this week, it means customers are able to now sit indoors again, much to the delight of Carla.

“Today (Monday) is the first day of being allowed guest back in,” she added.

“We’re fully booked for the rooms tonight.

“(On Monday) We haven’t ‘busy busy’ but we’ve had the regulars back in for Monday afternoon pints and ladies in for coffee.

“We’ve had a few table in for lunch.

“Tonight we’ve got quite a few bookings so I’m hoping this is the start of things to come.(I think) the guide will be the bank holiday weekend when we notice a big difference.

“I think half term (will be) when things start to turn around.

“People have had their first couple of weeks of nervousness and I think once that is over with I think it will be an extremely busy summer especially with the foreign travel rules that are in (place) at the minute.

“For room bookings, we’re looking really busy.”

Carla also went on to explain how she thinks people’s habits have changed over the course of the pandemic when it comes to heading to their local pub when they’re allowed to do so.

“I think the restaurant side has increased dramatically since the last lockdown and (when) we opened in July,” said Carla.

“(What we haven’t) got is many people coming out for just a pint but you still get the odd ones.

“It’s very busy for food. That’s what I have noticed a big difference (in).

“We have 10 front of house staff and four kitchen staff and chefs. We serve food every day and start serving at 12pm through to 8:30pm so we don’t have a break in-between.”