Landlords have welcomed back customers - with some having been shut for almost 12 months.

Yesterday saw the latest major step in Boris Johnson's coronavirus roadmap to recovery, with non-essential retail opening and pubs and restaurants allowed to serve customers outside.

Many have revamped beer gardens and outside areas to make it attractive for visitors, and yesterday's beautiful sunshine helped draw out the punters.

Julie Southward, landlady for the Museum Inn in Carlisle, said: “My stomach has been in knots, I’m excited to welcome people back and nervous at the same time.

"We want people to be able to socialise. People need to be able to sit and chat, it’s not just about the alcohol.

“We’ve been really busy and not had chance to have a break.

“It’s great to be back open and welcoming people into the beer garden.”

A group of workmen managed to grab a pint after work in the garden at Inn at the Bush in Kirkbride.

Landlord Colin Smithson said: “It’s quiet but it’s just a Monday. It will get cold once the sun goes and and the pub will close.”

It has been tough for pubs to reopen with a number of them waiting for grants to be paid to provide a cash flow and allow them to place an order for the beer.

Dave Adam, who is landlord of the Pack Horse in Seaton, had bought two gazebos to enable customers to continue to socialise safely once pubs could reopen after lockdown.

But this had to be changed as a storm destroyed them.

Thanks to the generosity of the community he raised enough to replace them with a more stable structure.

But he said: “I’m not opening until May; it isn't financially viable and we just don’t have the money to put the order in with the brewery.”