Weymouth pub builds beach huts outside for groups of 6
The fully heated huts will mean more people can eat at the pub during the winter.
Last updated 3rd Dec 2020
Beach huts have appeared outside one of Weymouth's harbourside pubs as the national lockdown eases.
The Red Lion Pub has put them up to maximise the number of people they can welcome back to the pub as Dorset moves into Tier 2 restrictions.
Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses around the county are able to reopen today if they serve food.
Brian McLaughlin owns the Red Lion. He said:
"I've had the pub for 11 years and over the 11 years we always struggle through the winter so through the summer, as I do every summer, I try to come up with different things to get us through the winter.
"So this summer, because of COVID we decided to maybe build a few beach huts."
The huts are designed to seat up to 4 people for a meal during the winter, providing shelter from the cold with full heating inside.
They were hand built by Brian and the team at the pub.
It means more people will feel encouraged to eat at the pub during what is expected to be a challenging winter season.
Brian added:
"We're hopeful that by December 16th the tier has gone down to tier one but that still will only mean that the rule of 6 applies across the board which, is much easier for everybody in this industry.
"We're taking a lot of reservations for the Christmas period for the huts. I think Christmas parties are going to be a bit difficult for everybody this year because it looks like a maximum of 6, it's still not qualified, I don't think, what the 23rd to the 27th of December holds in store for us, but at the minute any bookings that we're taking, we're just taking as is for December for the whole month.
"It's putting everyone in a difficult position, there's little or nothing we can do. We've just got to follow the rules, which is what we've done the whole way through the summer when we opened."