WEYMOUTH hospitality businesses have raised a glass to the news that pubs, restaurants and hotels could reopen soon – a move which will finally get the season underway.

It is expected that businesses will be able to reopen on July 4 and although social distancing will have to be factored in, it is hoped there will be an alteration to the two-metre social distancing guidance.

It will be a welcome boost for the resort eager to welcome back visitors and get the season going.

It comes as a national newspaper obtained guidance from the hospitality industry and the government detailing how life will be different.

This includes a limit to the amount of people allowed in pubs and restaurants with spaced-out tables, no ordering at the bar, and single-use disposable menus. Hotel guests meanwhile will be reminded of social distancing and receptionist will take a couple of steps back when visitors check in. Nightclubs will probably not be able to open any time soon according to the guidance, reported by The Times.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said England was "clearly on track" to further ease the coronavirus lockdown, saying the next steps would be set out this week.

With the two-metre rule placing severe constraints on the hospitality sector, it looks increasingly likely to be reduced.

Government scientific advisers have said they would be comfortable with a reduced distance if risk-mitigating measures were taken, such as people sitting side by side and wearing face coverings.

Keith Foose, owner of new town centre pub Hardy's Hop House, said it was 'full steam ahead'.

The pub had only been open for three weeks and two days before lockdown and Mr Foose is now looking forward to a July 4 relaunch.

He said: A one metre social distance would help dramatically - people say to me 'is it really going to make a difference?' - I think it would, personally."

He added: "We've already had sanitiser stations fitted - stickers for the floor will be arriving soon.

"People can also have their own self-service beer pump at their table - we give them fresh clean glassware and they can serve themselves chilled beer. That way they don't have to interact at the bar.

"We also have two booth tables with a cooler in the middle."

Responding to suggestions that people may have to register online before going to pubs, Mr Foose said: "It could help with track and trace and is something I'm looking into - I'm also going to have somebody counting the people coming in and people leaving.

"I'm pretty confident we'll open the doors. I've put my first beer order in - you wouldn't believe how many pints I've poured down the drain - you're talking over a thousand pints literally down the drain."

Meanwhile, owner of Hope Square restaurant The Crow's Nest, Barry Whettingsteel, said: "Reducing the social distancing from two metres down to one metre makes much more sense and gives us a bit more hope that we'll manage to survive this, as we'll be able to get more bums on seats.

"If we can combine this with Weymouth Town Council and the BID's plan to pedestrianise parts of the town - Hope Square in our case - then we're hopefully in for a decent July to September, fingers crossed."

Regarding social distancing measures, Mr Whettingsteel added: "Developing an ordering app just isn't affordable for a lot of businesses, especially if they're as small as ours - a decent app costs far too much and needs a lot of maintenance."

Craig Oakes, president of Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce said: "We welcome any news that hospitality and leisure businesses will be able to open up more fully on a Covid-safe basis. Many have been very innovative at this time and should be commended for continuing to operate during this crisis.

“We hope that guidance and measures due to be announced by the Government very soon will enable some sort of return to a slightly different version of normal, for both businesses and the general public.”