Southsea pub landlord excited to open after spending £1,500 on renovation

Prime minister Boris Johnson announced pubs can reopen on July 4 as social distance measures are eased.

Pubs will be allowed to serve customers both indoors and outdoors with the two metre rule slashed in favour of a one metre plus rule where two metres is not possible.

Time at the bar was called as pubs were forced to slam shut their doors amid the coronavirus outbreak in March.

Phil Estell, landlord of The Golden Eagle Pub in Southsea, told The News he cannot wait to throw open his doors again after revamping the Delamere Road tavern.

He said: ‘It’s absolutely brilliant. We’re very excited and so are our customers who have been popping their head around the door.

‘We need to do an action plan with the brewery over risk assessment but we will probably have cleaning stations at the exit points.

‘There will also be a one-way system by using the four doors we have so it is one way in and one way out to the beer garden.

‘We’re not the busiest of pubs so social distancing has never really been a problem but we will adjust our seating accordingly.

‘We will also have table service to keep people away from the bar, which will probably cheese off some customers who like to stay at the bar.’

Meanwhile, staff will be wearing full PPE and will be regularly sanitising tables and providing a new glass for each drink.

A new security camera will allow staff to monitor how many people are in the pub while there will be markings in place to ensure punters maintain the appropriate distance.

Mr Estell added: ‘It will be extra work and people will have to adjust but the options are either we comply and keep people safe or close.’

The landlord has used the time shut wisely to spruce up The Golden Eagle with £1,500 spent on new carpets and floors to freshen the establishment.

‘We just wanted to brighten the place up so have sanded the bar and walls and taken all the wood panelling back to bare wood and polished it with beeswax,’ he said.

The pub is also planning on having a band play prior to July 4 which will be broadcast live via Facebook as a ‘pre-opening’ event.

Proposals to manage safety will need approving by Portsmouth City Council.

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