Springing into action.....March 2021

Spring is finally here and the gardens are awash with beautiful yellow daffodils that never fail to cheer me up after a long dreary winter. The lighter nights are also a great mood lifter during lockdown. It’s been a whirlwind of a month that seems to have passed by so quickly. We now seem to be on a fast journey to reopening the gardens in April and full reopening in May 2021. I hope you all are keeping well and in good spirits along with managing to stay positive. It’s crazy to think we’ve been living with COVID restrictions and lockdowns for one whole year now. The light at the end of the tunnel does seem to be burning a little brighter than the last time I blogged but as I’ve learnt things change so rapidly with Covid and the government that I think we’ve just got to believe better times are coming.

The takeaway service has gone from strength to strength and we honestly wouldn’t have been able to survive without YOU.... yes YOU. You all truly have been amazing in giving us your support in such uncertain times and I know I’ve said it before but we are so so grateful to each and everyone of you that have placed orders with us. Valentines brought out the romantic in lots of our wonderful customers. We decided to step up the takeaway menu a gear and offer Tomahawk steaks for two. Initially we thought the take up would be low and we’d end up enjoying them ourselves but wow you suprised us all, we sold out of our initial order we hurriedly had to order more in. The feedback has been great so it’s something we plan to offer during the Easter weekend. Then after Valentines along came Mothering Sunday and we posted up the menu on Facebook and completely sold out of collection slots. Considering we were late posting the menus I’m made up with that. Takeaway service has been fun, exciting and challenging. Some of the nights have been mental... it’s crazy how much extra pressure is added on putting food in containers, boxes and on plates etc ready to be taken away at a specific time. It certainly adds a new dimension to it!!

This week we’ve been finishing the menus for Easter weekend and hopefully they will be ready shortly so if you are wanting a takeaway keep an eye out for the menus. It’s a cracker of a menu......see what I did there. On a serious note we will be serving takeaways Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday but because I’ve been flat out working throughout lockdown 1,2 and 3 I am taking Easter Monday OFF. It seems naughty writing this as if I’m writing a note from my mum excusing me from P.E but sometimes you’ve got to stop and take a rest and boy do I need it.

Alongside running the takeaway service its been busy few weeks at The Weston Cross with all the work we’ve got on the go.

The scaffolding finally came down and we’ve been left with with a wonderful watertight roof. That was a long tedious, annoying and noisy job that I’m pleased we were able to complete during closure.
You may of noticed the redesigning of the wall done by a passing lorry at midnight, who sneakily drove off and we ended up pursuing him in our car. Well to be honest it wasn’t me it was Paul who jumped out of bed and dashed off in his car and caught up with him at KFC in Ross, where he’d pulled over to inspect the damage to his lorry. He did confess when confronted by an angry man in pyjamas. I guess it was a sight be seen in the middle of the night! I’m happy to report it’s all in the hands of the insurers now so fingers crossed it’s repaired soon.
We’ve also had some patio slabs and gravel layed in front of the patio doors to the garden because the grass was failing to grow and over the winter period became like a mini swamp!

The inside areas have changed as well. We’ve been busy redecorating the restaurant area and have ordered some fancy new lights....much to Graham’s annoyance. He’s of the view if it aint broke don’t fix it!! But thankfully Lesley was on my side and readily handed over the money. Thank heavens for mum!

At last the floor in the bar area is being resealed and a new carpet has been ordered so fingers crossed it will be ready for the reopening. We are getting there slowly not much else needs doing except a few minor jobs and some bits and pieces putting up but in this game theres always more to do!!

Which finally brings us to reopening plans. We’ve got some new changes to come to the menus and drink offerings and Im really excited to share with you nearer the time. Initially we plan to offer a limited reopening in April guided by the weather (so let’s all pray for sunshine) Following that we plan for a full reopening and a return to our usual pre-lockdown hours from May 2021.

We cannot wait to welcome you all back.....it’s been way too long. For now please stay safe and keep well.

Kerry x

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