Pub chain Greene King has announced it plans to reopen another eight of its venues in Essex this week.

Bosses announced last month they would only be reopening 452 of their pubs when lockdown eased on April 12 because of the restrictions around serving food and drink outside.

But Greene King says it will be reopening a further 106 of its pubs this Thursday (April 29) after making the necessary arrangements to cater for customers outside.

These are the pubs in Essex that will be reopening:

  • The Sandmartin (Thurrock)
  • The Rose Inn (Great Wakering)
  • The Inn on the Green (Billericay)
  • The Dog & Pheasant (Colchester)
  • The Swan Inn (Stanway)
  • The Windmill (Upminster)
  • The Rose & Crown (Woodford Green)
  • The Boars Head (Herongate)

Customers are able to book a garden table online, although people are also welcome to visit the pub outdoors without an advance booking.

Some pubs will have reduced opening hours and menus, and this information along with how to book, will have been updated on both the Greene King and individual pubs’ websites.

Greene King chief executive Nick Mackenzie said: “We are really pleased to be able to reopen further pubs outdoors and welcome back more our customers in time for the bank holiday weekend.

“Sadly, we are still not able to open a larger amount of our estate in April, but we know the vital role pubs play in communities and feel it’s important to open as many as we can to help people get back together once again.

“We are still looking forward to Monday, May 17, when we will be able to open many more of our pubs, and the all-important return to normality in June when the restrictions are fully removed, and we can start to rebuild our businesses.

“Until then, we hope for good weather for the bank holiday and onwards.”

Greene King says more than 800 of its pubs will still not be reopening this month.

It is hoped they will welcome back punters next month when rules will permit serving food and drink inside.