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As more and more of the UK starts to open up, many of us are using the chance to head back to eating out with friends and family. Some of us have not seen some of our friends or family for 6 months so it is a great way to catch up whilst supporting a local business.
Eating out is not how it used to be, but I think we will all adjust to the new normality pretty quickly. If it means we are now able to start getting back to enjoying life a little more like you were able to pre-COVID then I’m sure we will.
If you are looking to meet up with friends again, there are a few things that will need to be considered. Firstly, many places are asking you to book in advance. This is to enable them to stick to limited guests to ensure they are meeting all the health and safety needs of staff and visitors. Following the government announcement yesterday there will also be more gatherings going ahead as up to 30 people are able to enjoy a sit-down meal following a wedding, which I know so many people are going to be glad of.
You may also find that lots of places are running a bit of a different menu so that you may be used to, they of course still have to follow guidelines and work safely. Therefore they may have less staff working to accommodate this, however, after being restricted for so long I very much doubt many people are going to worry if there are a few dishes left on the menu!
Now if you are planning to eat out or maybe even a treat out like champagne afternoon tea to have a catch-up, why not check out Square Meal site for a great list of places to potential eat out at. As well as being able to search for a place to eat, you are also able to check out the reviews of that location and the hygiene rating which is very important currently.
We have not booked to eat out yet, simple as the timing has not worked out for us yet. Locally to use though lots of businesses have started to open back up. They have all taken the guidelines very seriously and it is amazing to see how the local community is supporting the businesses. I would feel very comfortable heading to many of these near us as they are all doing what needs to be done to get people back out safely.
Don’t forget that also currently for August the government are offering their Eat Out to Help Out scheme where you can get 50% off (up to a maximum of £10) on food and non-alcoholic drinks on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. This is a great way to test out a few local places if you are planning on eating out as a family or maybe just to catch up with a friend safely.
Like many others, I am hoping that some of the restrictions are lifted in the near future, however, more importantly, is us getting back to a safe place to spend time with loved ones.