Tom Kerridge restaurants set to reopen on July 4th

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge will reopen three of his restaurants on July 4th, following the Prime Minister's announcement that many businesses, including those in the hospitality sector, would be able to do so. 

Tom, who currently owns and operates two establishments in Marlow and another in London (as well as at the Bull & Bear in Manchester, but this will remain closed until further notice), shared the news on social media:

We cannot wait to get back to work and welcome you with open arms @HandFMarlow @kerridgesbandg @TheCoachMarlow All three sites will be open as of the 4th July. Please visit the websites to get your reservation for something to eat and overnight stay! pic.twitter.com/hzjnx2cyrT

— Tom Kerridge (@ChefTomKerridge) June 23, 2020

He said: "Yes ladies and gentlemen, the time is here, restaurants and bars are opening and our reservation lines are now open for here - The Hand and Flowers, or here - Kerridge's Bar and Grill, and here - The Coach. We will all be open on Saturday July the 4th. Please get online, make a booking." 

In a recent interview with The Guardian, the chef shared fears that customers may not come flocking back when restaurants reopen, and that this would have drastic consequences for the industry. 

He said: “There’s going to be some horrific casualties, close friends, maybe us, who knows? We don’t know, until we can open, what the appetite is going to be like for going out.”

For him, restaurants aren't all about money, as, he added, "it runs deeper, it’s about love and passion and connection to human beings. You’re in the hospitality industry because you like being with other people. There is something very special about working in restaurants, you’re operating to give people a great time.”

Whatever the experience they try to provide, one crucial thing would be to make sure customers feel safe, and so, he and his team have plans to put the right measures in place to do so - including temperature checks and self-assessment questionnaires.

However, he said, these would have to be carefully implemented to avoid alienating people.

“Eating out is about enjoying yourself. If you make it just about the process, in a sterile and uninviting environment, you may as well just go to a motorway service station.”

Ultimately, the chef said he was hopeful that the industry would survive and come through the crisis, thanks to its many virtues.

He said: "The hospitality industry will survive, it’s not going to just shut. There will be some harsh realities and casualties, whether it’s restaurant groups or individual staff, there will be some very big bumps along the way. But we are a fantastic, forward-thinking, eclectic, diverse, rich, exciting industry that will adapt and come through the other side.”