A PINT at the pub has finally become a reality again as more than 70 pubs across Wyre Forest reopen for outdoor service this week.

Pub owners say regulars are happy to be back and to be enjoying a drink at their local, and have reported being flooded with bookings since Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his timetable for the reopening of hospitality.

The road map allows for pubs, restaurants and bars to reopen outdoor areas from April 12, with customers welcome inside again from May 17.

Some restrictions have eased since pubs were last open. Customers will not need to order a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks and there will be no 10pm curfew.

Chris Lowe, who runs The Swan in Blakedown, is expecting a busy weekend as his outdoor seating area is already fully booked.

He told The Shuttle: "We had a good lunchtime opening day, it was busy all the way through to 10.30pm.

"It’s really good to be open again. We’ve invested in a bigger covered area with more heaters so we’re taking bookings for those, then people can take the chance on turning up and getting a table if there’s one free.

"We’ve seen lots of regulars already, which is great. We’re just about full Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It’s good to see lots of smiling people. With our job, we’re used to seeing lots of people and being sociable, so it’s good to have that back, and of course it’s good to get some money coming in too!

"I think now that you can have six people sitting outside, people are just happy to be seeing their friends and families again and to be socialising – it’s a bit nicer to do that in a pub garden in a safe environment with heaters than it is sitting in your garden.”

The Station Inn at Farfield is also booked up for Friday and Saturday, and Colin Faulkner, who runs the pub with wife Trudy, is warning anyone planning to turn up without booking to be prepared to be disappointed.

He said: "We opened from midday on Monday, we were very busy all day, we were near enough full in terms of bookings.

"We're taking a lot of bookings, we are doing walk-ins as well but people need to be prepared to be disappointed because we are very busy.

"We've got a marquee up outside and the garden is all lit up. Everyone was very happy to be sat in a pub again - or on the outskirts of a pub at least.

"Thanks to the government grants and the furlough scheme, we've been able to bring all of our staff back, which has been fantastic.

"We're fully booked Friday and Saturday and we're getting that way for Thursday too."

Rob Budworth, chair of Wyre Forest CAMRA, said he hopes people's support for their local pubs continues past the initial reopening period.

He said: "Some of our members went down to visit the pubs on Monday, not just because they were reopening but to see how things were going. Everything looked very positive, the landlords seemed very pleased with how it was going.

"Obviously we want people to be careful and drink within the guidelines, it needs to be responsible.

"I did go myself yesterday and said hello to the landlord, it was nice to have some real ale - that's what we're all about after all.

"It's really sad for the pubs that have no outside space at all, but for the others, the turn-out has been very good. We'll have to watch what happens next, there are a lot of people who wanted to go out because they could, hopefully that support continues when everything calms down.

"All in all, the feedback has been very good."

For a list of the pubs opening this week in Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley, click here.