Restaurants 'over the moon' to be reopening next week

Restaurants in and around Bournemouth have shared their excitement as they look forward to reopening for inside dining from Monday, 17 May. 

The Prime Minister confirmed yesterday that from May 17, venues will be allowed to welcome guests inside in group of up to six - meaning diners will no longer have to sit out in the cold.  

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Many restaurants and bars across the town have been able to reopen since April 12, if they have had outside seating. 

However, a number of venues have remained closed through the third lockdown and will be opening for the first time in months on Monday. 

The Larder House on Southbourne Grove

One of those restaurants is the Larder House in Southbourne. 

"We're over the moon to be reopening," said manager Morgan House. 

Having been closed since December, the popular restaurant has taken the opportunity to add some new and exciting renovations to their terrace area. 

Mr House said: "We are really excited to be reopening, it's been a long time coming but we've taken the opportunity to work on our menu and we've done massive refurbishments."

Across the other side of town, The Porterhouse in Westbourne have also used the months in lockdown to update their decor and are more than excited to welcome their customers back. 

 Dawn McLauchlan from The Porterhouse said: "Lockdown was hard with no money coming in but we managed to get the pub ready and we don't have a garden so we weren't able to open in April. 

The Porter House in Westbourne

"We're really looking forward to reopening.

"We can't wait to get everyone back in, that's why we've got a pub - because we love the customers and having interaction with them.

"We just wish it was back to normal really."

In the town centre, blossoming new restaurants were hit by a number of lockdowns in their opening year but are keen to get back open and introduce new customers to their cuisine.

The Coconut Tree on Old Christchurch Road doesn't have an outside seating area so remained closed throughout lockdown. 

However, with things opening back up on Monday they've already got a number of bookings and are looking busy for their first week. 

Kirsty Shellis, operations manager at The Coconut Tree said: "We don't have an outside area here so we couldn't open, but a couple of our other restaurants do and they have been doing well.

"It was pretty busy for us before lockdown so it will be nice to have everyone back in and enjoying it."

Down the road, Kala Thai only opened their doors in August and quickly had to diversify their way of working when lockdown hit in November.

Kala Thai on Old Christchurch Road

The gorgeous Thai restaurant on Old Christchurch Road started doing takeaways as a way to keep busy throughout the lockdowns but they've been such a success the business has said they will keep doing them.

Luckily Kala Thai has an outside area so was able to open on April 12, manager Michelle James said: "We are really excited to be fully reopening.

"As a new business as well it will be really great to welcome people back in again - we only had a few months of being open inside.

The restaurant will be open on Monday, 17 May and is serving from 12-10pm. 

Is your favourite restaurant reopening on Monday? Let us know in the comments.