A PRESTWICK pub landlord is glad to be back after months of lockdown – but remains cautious of changes.

Raymond Cooper, 57, was able to welcome punters back to the Golf Inn as restrictions were lifted allowing his beer garden to reopen.

Like many publicans in South Ayrshire, he was unable to open at the end of June as planned, but lockdown measures were further eased allowing a welcome return on Monday, July 6.

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He told the Advertiser: “I am just glad to be open again.

“It’s been going well, we’re fully booked this weekend (July 10, 11 and 12) but it’s been easily managed with a small beer garden.

“I’ve made sure all the staff have masks and visors, and all the PPE that they require.

“Some of them have found it strange but they are coping well.

“We’ve had the police in on Tuesday, and then a visit from Environmental Health and they have been really quite happy with it.

“It was nice very nice to see our regulars back. we really can’t grumble.”

Raymond is now focusing on getting customers back inside with the unpredictable Scottish summer weather having a potential effect.

From Wednesday, July 15 he will be able to open up, but will only be able to fit a maximum of 36 people across nine tables.

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But Raymond is being prepared to continue to be flexible to changes and is taking nothing for granted this year.

He added: “The rules could change tomorrow – we’ve just got to adapt if they do.

“We have already been told by the police we weren’t allowed to have music or TVs on in the pub, which is part of guidelines that they were passing on.”

Raymond, like many, has been left counting the cost of the devastating financial impact that the coronavirus has had on the Ayrshire pub scene.

But he has been encouraged by chancellor Rishi Sunak’s promise to help furloughed staff back into work.

Raymond added: “What the government have announced encourages me to keep staff. I thought I would have to shut the kitchen, but we’ve managed to keep that open with loads of people wanting to book for food.”

We previously spoke to Raymond ahead of his plans to open back up and he vowed to ensure elderly regulars aren’t phased out.

He was delighted to see them return at their usual time of 10am to noon for a blether.