As pubs in England partially reopen today, those in Wales will have to wait a little longer - but preparations to welcome customers back are already under way.

On 26 April, people in Wales will be able to visit local pubs, bars and restaurants with outdoor space for the first time this year.

Yr Hen Orsaf, the Wetherspoons pub at Aberystwyth’s railway station, has confirmed it is to open the outdoor area next to the platform from Monday, 26 April and will be serving food and drink without a booking system.

Several locally run pubs have made special arrangements to improve the outdoor experience, including the White Lion, Machynlleth; Bottle and Barrel, Aberystwyth; Glengower, Aberystwyth; Y Ffarmers, Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn; Halfway Inn, Pisgah; Talbot, Tregaron; Rhos yr Hafod, Cross Inn (Llanon) and the Three Horseshoe, Llangeitho.

Other public houses preparing to open include Tafarn y Maes in Capel Bangor, the Wildfowler in Tre’r-ddol and the Rhydypennau in Bow Street and the Llew Coch in Machynlleth.

Pubs, bars and restaurants across Wales have been closed since early December

Reflecting on what has been a difficult few months for the industry, Bae Ceredigion CAMRA chair Kathy Giles said: “I can only imagine how tough the past year has been for pubs.

“Local communities have very much appreciated the services that they have provided during the pandemic such as takeaway food and beer delivery.

“I’d like to send all our local publicans and their teams every good wish as they start to reopen their premises and I urge everyone to support their local pub to help ensure that it remains a vital and much-loved part of the community.”