Ashby's pubs are ready to open their doors on Saturday - with at least one welcoming customers at 8am.

But it is set to be a very different drinking experience with a series of rules in place.

The long-awaited relaxing of the Coronavirus restrictions means that landlords and landladies will end an unheard of pub closure of almost four months.

There will be inevitable restrictions and tracking of people who use the pubs.

Visitors from Leicester - where there is a local lockdown - will not be encouraged to visit Ashby although one pub manager told Ashby Nub News on Friday that they feel the city is too far away for that to be a real problem.

Weatherspoon's Shoulder of Mutton opened up at 8am on Saturday for those who want to get back to the pub early.

But others, such as The Beeches on Burton Road, will wait until mid-day.

The Bull's Head, The Lamb, The Bowling Green, The Blue Bell and The Plough in the town will be opening, but the Tap At No.76 will still only be serving takeouts.

There is likely to be an extra police presence in Market Street in case any revellers get out of control after one pint too many.

But the feeling from pub owners and managers is drinkers should not be afraid to come back - and the surroundings are safe.

Laura Boulton, manager of The Beeches, said: "You can't stand up at the bar and have a drink although the majority of our customers are diners anyway,

"You can order at the bar but then step away just as you would do in a shop.

"We have an app going in place so that people can order from their tables without going to the bar - we then bring the drinks over.

"Through our website there will be a track and trace system, you can register your name and address before you arrive - we hope people will do that.

"You can do it when you arrive. We already have a few people booked in at nighti time but how many people come in depends on the weather.

"We're doing food and on Sunday we'll be doing a carvery with screens and staff putting the food on the plate.

"But it's a safe environment, there's hand sanitiser everywhere and the tables will be bare so that nothing can be touched twice.

"We will bring the condiments over to you.

"Every time the table is cleared, we will clean it thoroughly."

The Plough on the Green has listed the amount of restrictions in place when it opens at 11am on Saturday.

They say: "To everyone's delight we will be opening on Saturday 4th July!

"Our opening times will be 11am-11pm all week (may be closed earlier if the pub is empty)

"To ensure all of our customers and staff are safe we are asking everyone to follow our guidelines as follows....

•If you or anyone else in your household has been ill within the last two weeks DO NOT come into the pub

•Keep social distancing rules of at least one metre

•Use hand sanitiser provided on entry & leaving

•One way system in through the front door and out through the back

•When entering you MUST sign a form with your name, address and number for NHS tracking if needed

•No standing/sitting at the bar

•CARD ONLY payments for the time being

•When we are at capacity will we not be allowing anybody in and NO queues are to be made outside

•Respect all other customers and staff at all times

•No Vaping inside

•We are having one serving point at the bar, if you see someone at the bar please stay seated until it is clear

•NO shouting at any time

•No loud music or TV

•We 100 per cent reserve the right to refuse entry or service

•Only two people allowed in the toilet at any one time

•If anyone has any worries or queries please do not hesitate to contact us

•Anyone who doesn't abide by these will be asked to leave immediately

•Please be patient with us as this is all new for us too and we hope you can still enjoy your time with us! We can't wait to see you all!"

The Bull will have a new Order and Pay app as will The Lamb.