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| 'We feel totally safe': east London drinkers savour taste of freedom | 'We feel totally safe': east London drinkers savour taste of freedom |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| City brewer Truman’s Social Club hosts dozens of high-spirited customers – in car park | City brewer Truman’s Social Club hosts dozens of high-spirited customers – in car park |
| In an industrial estate on the outskirts of east London, dozens of people drank alcohol in a licensed premises for the first time in 105 days as a brewer opened the first part of what had been touted as the “biggest socially distanced pub and garden” in the UK. | In an industrial estate on the outskirts of east London, dozens of people drank alcohol in a licensed premises for the first time in 105 days as a brewer opened the first part of what had been touted as the “biggest socially distanced pub and garden” in the UK. |
| But, to the disappointment of some of the patrons, just the car park section of the 35,000-square-ft venue in Walthamstow, Truman’s Social Club, was open on Saturday – before an expected opening of the giant beer hall in August. Whether it could have been filled remains to be seen. | But, to the disappointment of some of the patrons, just the car park section of the 35,000-square-ft venue in Walthamstow, Truman’s Social Club, was open on Saturday – before an expected opening of the giant beer hall in August. Whether it could have been filled remains to be seen. |
| The managing director, Michael-George Hemus, said the main building, a vast warehouse, which was formerly an Irn-Bru distribution centre, was not ready after the industry had been surprised by Boris Johnson’s announcement that pubs could open their premises indoors. | |
| “We are just trying to create a space where people will want to drink,” Hemus said. “This does everything that a pub does, but because there’s so much space it allows people to feel comfortable.” | “We are just trying to create a space where people will want to drink,” Hemus said. “This does everything that a pub does, but because there’s so much space it allows people to feel comfortable.” |
| Hemus added that he wanted to make people feel confident about visiting pubs, since the industry urgently needed support. “In order to help the future of [the industry], please come out and drink. But also know that things have changed.” | Hemus added that he wanted to make people feel confident about visiting pubs, since the industry urgently needed support. “In order to help the future of [the industry], please come out and drink. But also know that things have changed.” |
| Still, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Visitors sipped on locally brewed lager, caught up with friends and chatted with partners as the venue filled up throughout the day – with people only allowed two and a half hours before having to leave. | Still, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Visitors sipped on locally brewed lager, caught up with friends and chatted with partners as the venue filled up throughout the day – with people only allowed two and a half hours before having to leave. |
| Though parties were allocated their own tables, there were chance meetings between old acquaintances. “We met, I think, at Ascot?” one man said to a woman he passed en route to the toilet. | Though parties were allocated their own tables, there were chance meetings between old acquaintances. “We met, I think, at Ascot?” one man said to a woman he passed en route to the toilet. |
| However, some had become accustomed to serving themselves drinks in parks, and the prevailing thought was that the whole affair was quite strange. | However, some had become accustomed to serving themselves drinks in parks, and the prevailing thought was that the whole affair was quite strange. |
| “This feels very weird. It would feel more natural bringing my own and sitting on my own drinking in a park,” said Mark Simmons, a lawyer who was visiting the venue with his wife Natasha, their two children and friends. “Coming to a place that serves alcohol in a car park is weird.” | |
| It might be different in an actual pub, interjected his friend Rachel Pattison, who works in design: “But it’s nice having someone coming and sorting us out with food and drinks.” | It might be different in an actual pub, interjected his friend Rachel Pattison, who works in design: “But it’s nice having someone coming and sorting us out with food and drinks.” |
| Others could also hardly contain their glee at sitting outside having Pimm’s served to them, through an app, by waiters wearing visors. | Others could also hardly contain their glee at sitting outside having Pimm’s served to them, through an app, by waiters wearing visors. |
| “It’s absolutely fabulous. We feel totally safe,” said Isobel Dalton, a retired shipping company director. “I am liberated, we’ve been locked down for weeks. It’s the first time we’ve actually been out socially to have a drink and meet some friends, so we’re very excited.” | “It’s absolutely fabulous. We feel totally safe,” said Isobel Dalton, a retired shipping company director. “I am liberated, we’ve been locked down for weeks. It’s the first time we’ve actually been out socially to have a drink and meet some friends, so we’re very excited.” |
| After more than three months of strict distancing, some were taking more time to adjust to old habits. “It feels like lockdown just merged into one big day,” prop maker Sara Poykmorad said. “This feels good, but it feels strange, getting out of the habit of isolation and talking to other people again.” | After more than three months of strict distancing, some were taking more time to adjust to old habits. “It feels like lockdown just merged into one big day,” prop maker Sara Poykmorad said. “This feels good, but it feels strange, getting out of the habit of isolation and talking to other people again.” |
| Nobody the Guardian spoke to had any concerns about contracting the virus, with everyone seeming immensely grateful to be somewhere similar to a pub once again and happy to help spearhead the public’s return to them. | |
| “We’re those early doors people who make everyone else more comfortable,” said Robert, a local who works within the bar industry and did not wish to give his surname. | |
| He and his friend Magda arrived shortly after the social club opened at midday and asked what their plans were after their mandated departure by 2.30pm, he said: “We’re actually going to go to another pub.” | He and his friend Magda arrived shortly after the social club opened at midday and asked what their plans were after their mandated departure by 2.30pm, he said: “We’re actually going to go to another pub.” |