Shavington restaurant creates dining “huts” to reopen COVID safe

A South Cheshire restaurant has reopened after COVID lockdown – with special “dining huts” in its garden to keep families safe while eating out.

Hickory’s Smokehouse in Gresty Green near Shavington have fired up the smokers again, as the final one of the 11 Hickory’s sites reopens after the enforced lockdown.

And staff have installed special dining huts, which are all heated, so people in their “bubbles” can dine safely in the venue’s summer garden.

The company said they had opted for a “phased re-opening” to ensure all new safety measures were on-point and team could get used to new procedures.

Gresty Green’s General Manager Richard Parr said: “We really are ecstatic to be finally opening up again.

“We know so many of our guests can’t wait to visit us and we’ve been totally overwhelmed with the number of reservations we’ve had since we started to take bookings online last week.

“We may have taken a little longer to open than some other places but we are sure it will be worth the wait.”

His team have helped construct a number of themed dining “huts” for customers who want to get-together in their bubble.

The fully heated huts have been designed to pay homage to some of the road trips the team have taken to the foodie hotspots of the Deep South.

Richard added: “There has always been a lot of love for our garden and I think now, more than ever, it will be a really cool place to spend a few hours over the summer months.

“We’ve already got some exciting plans in place as we head into the autumn and we are looking at some cool ideas to keep the outdoor vibe alive, whatever the season.

“All the guys have been freshening up their serving skills and familiarising themselves with our new safety measures.

“They cannot wait to get back to smoking, mixing, shaking and serving your Hickory’s favourites and we can’t wait to welcome you back.”