‘Let’s support Melton’s pubs and restaurants as they reopen’

But with the re-opening of pubs, restaurants and cafés set for this Saturday, we are set to enter a new phase that brings yet more challenges.

Before we come to those, let’s cast our minds back to the start of this crazy lockdown.

When lockdown was announced towards the end of March, it was inspiring to see how positively Melton’s food independents reacted.

There are plenty of fine examples.

The Melton Cheeseboard – Great Food Club’s Shop of the Year 2019/20 – stepped up to the challenge and began delivering to vulnerable households.

Round Corner Brewing (our Drinks Producer of the Year) did the same, setting up an excellent milkman-style doorstep delivery system almost overnight.

Others battled hard to keep going too, including the town’s Off The Beaten Path Café (cake deliveries), The Stag & Hounds at Burrough-on-the-Hill (superb takeaway food throughout lockdown), Chez Sebastien Artisan Pizza (exquisite pizzas delivered to your door every weekend), and the ever-excellent Feast & The Furious (I can’t wait to try their smoked brisket again soon!).

Our nearest farm shops also responded magnificently – both March House Farm in Great Dalby and Northfield Farm in Cold Overton set up delivery systems and slick online ordering systems.

Both have been run off their feet but have remained steadfast in adversity, picking up new customers keen to avoid supermarkets.

Let’s hope these new shoppers stick with them.

All eyes now turn to Saturday.

How will the big re-opening go in Melton?

Well, there’s no doubt it’s going to be a little tricky.

Hospitality businesses have 43 pages of new government guidelines to follow, and most of us – diners, drinkers and staff – are still feeling slightly nervous.

After all, the virus remains a threat, and we’ve never been in this situation before.

Therefore, we all need to work together to help each other out.

We, the customers, need to be patient, sensible, friendly and committed to observing physical distancing.

And the businesses need to show similar levels of patience with us.

Clear and amiable communication from all sides will 
allow everything to go smoothly.

If any impatience or antisocial behaviour creeps in, or if businesses do not give clear enough guidance on what they want customers to do, it’s easy to see how problems might occur, especially with a combination of confusion, stress and alcohol.

However, if we all remain calm and come armed with a sense of humour and common sense, we can all get back to enjoying eating and drinking out, albeit at a distance.

So, let’s all be friendly, sensible and caring with one another. We’ve all been through a lot.

l Matt Wright lives in Melton and is founder and editor of Great Food Club, an online resource which champions independent hospitality businesses across the East Midlands.

The club has been running now for 10 years and also publishes a handbook and offers members discounts on meals and drinks out at pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Go to www.greatfoodclub.co.uk to find out more.