AS LOCKDOWN continues to ease in the UK bars and restaurants in the county were able to re-open their doors and allow punters inside yesterday.

This came to the joy of many customers and landlords who have been waiting months to get back inside

Trish Bell, 57, who is the landlady in The Griffin, said: “It’s good I think all the staff have felt a lot happier, we have all got back to seeing some of the regulars, we haven’t seen each other for ages,it feels like forever.

We only opened at 11 o’clock this morning it was madness this morning, obviously its going to be busy later on ,but to be fair it’s gone a lot smoother than I thought it would, we were all a bit scared I think really, we were closed for quite a while.”

Linda Moore, who was out enjoying a drink in Bar Solo, Carlisle with her husband Tim, said: “We did sit outside at first because the sun was out and then it started getting a bit colder so it’s nice to be able to get back inside and its a lovely atmosphere too.”

But its not just the punters who are pleased to be back indoors, Joby Hodnett, who is the assistant manager of Bar Solo was pleased to be able to open back up to his customers.

It has been a bit nerve-wracking but I think it will be okay going forward ,we just don’t know what to expect these days anymore do we.”

It is good to be back and I think people are just grateful to be able to come and sit in from the rain.”

As lockdown continues to ease across the county as well as the county, one pub in Workington has found itself opening their doors for the first time.

Bar 2 in Workington opened up for the first time after popular landlords Angela and Stephen Bell decided to expand in the town and create a sister pubs to the much loved Well on Jane Street.

Landlady, Angela Bell said: "We've been planning this for a long time and didn't let lockdown put us off, we just persevered with it and wanted a different type of pub in the area."

Former MP Tony Cunningham was enjoying a pint with his wife Anne, he said: "Its absolutely marvellous to be back out again and Steve Bell who is the owner of this always does a first-class job with all the renovations he does.I think it's a superb facility for Workington."

The popular landlords are also planning to open a restaurant on Jane Street in the near future.