MONDAY, April 26, 2021. Not a day that will perhaps hold any real sentimentality or significance to most. But, to the Welsh hospitality industry, and larger Welsh population, it is a day that will surely be celebrated more than any other in the last 365+ days.

Wales has slowly started to clamber out of lockdown in recent weeks and life outside Alert Level 4 is seemingly on the horizon. And, with Powys’ Covid-19 vaccination programme moving at a swift and successful pace, Monday could come to genuinely be seen as a day when the nation finally started to emerge from out of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pub landlords, hoteliers and café and restaurant owners will finally be able to officially reopen their premises on Monday – outdoors at least – for the first time in nearly five months. The Welsh Government, meanwhile, will further relax rules this weekend on the amount of households that can meet up outdoors, which is sure to make life ever easier come Monday.

However, there is still much confusion and uncertainty surrounding the hospitality sector – with many business owners wondering if they can recover from the mental and financial toll of what’s been a devastating year for the industry.

We’ve been speaking to landlords in Brecon and Radnorshire this week to gauge how they’re feeling about next Monday – is the overriding feeling one of anticipation, anger or anguish?

Gwyn Davies, landlord of The Fountain Inn, Builth Wells

“It’s nice to be back in business, I’m hoping we all bounce back, but I do wonder if we can get back over the profit margin.

“It will depend on so much, like the weather. When we were allowed to open up last year it was peak summer so was very warm, but I wonder if people will want to sit outside in their coats at 9pm in April and May.

“I hope we will make it viable but I think it will be next month, when they open pubs indoors, when you’ll really be able to look forward.”

Even though the reopening of the Welsh economy is desperately needed – for both businesses financially and the public in terms of their mental health – Gwyn remains concerned about possible future lockdowns.

“I am also deeply concerned about opening up too soon as the risk of a fourth lockdown looms,” he added. “I wonder if many businesses would be able to survive that. Perhaps it would have been better to wait another month, but you’re damned of you do, damned if you don’t. We need a good summer season. We’re lucky as a family-run company as we have other aspects of the business so we’re not reliant on the pub, but I feel for others.

“There’s so many unanswered questions too. Do we bring back all staff off furlough at once or gradually.

“And why is it that all the way through pubs the other side of the border have had better financial help?”

Dale Gorman, landlord of the Royal Oak, Presteigne

“We've been lucky enough to have a couple of grants over the start of the lockdown but now we feel like we've been left behind in comparison to English and Scottish hospitality where they have had restart grants to get the businesses back up and running.

“Many businesses like ourselves have been spending these previous grants and savings to pay bills, maintain buildings and equipment (things always seem to break when not in use for sometime), keep staff on furlough and now having to outlay a lot money to restock everything that has gone to waste since early December.

“The delay in releasing grants due to the election is making the current situation harder for many businesses.”

This is one of the biggest concerns that rankles with pub owners and managers in Wales – the fact that the Welsh Government has announced it is withholding the latest round of restart grants until at least after the Senedd election on May 6.

It’s a politically motivated caveat that has angered many – on top of the fact pubs across the border in England will have been open for two more weeks by the time Monday arrives.

It must be infuriating for Dale and wife Claire with Presteigne minutes from the English border, although the couple are looking on the bright side.

“We are lucky enough to have a small garden area at the rear of the pub to fit enough customers to make it worthwhile for us but there are many pubs and restaurants not in the same boat,” he said.

“In an ideal world extra support would be given to those that have a prolonged closure due to lack of outdoor space but nothing seems to be said about that.

“In the grand scheme of it, it's good to just be allowed to get back up and running. We've been very lucky to have been supported by grants as who knows what state we'd all be in without them, we just feel they could go a lot further.

“We’re definitely looking forward to a few pints being sunk over the next few weeks.”

Rory Owen, landlord of the White Horse, Builth Wells

“We’re excited for what should be a busy week, with the bank holiday weekend approaching, but there’s lots of frustration and we just hope the authorities work with us.

“Last year we had lots of visits from the likes of police and Powys County Council, who were always happy with what we were doing, they said we went above and beyond, there were no issues. But the focus seemed to always be on us, it seemed like we were a victim of our own success.

“But there’s always more stipulations which lead to extra costs. We’ve had five months without any trade, after we’d made a big effort for Christmas, which was then all thrown away.

“But, we’ll work with it. We’ll do what we have to do get back open.”

Amidst the excitement, there is a lot of work to be done by Rory and his staff ahead of the grand reopening – they’ve installed a new fence and are also on the lookout for more bar staff.

Simon and Alison Mason, landlords of the Prince Llewelyn, Cilmery

“I hope we don’t come across as a moaning group of businesses but we have and are still being treated unfairly.

“How visiting the hairdresser, with obvious close contact, can be deemed safer, and let’s face it that is what our main priority should be, than going out for a meal in a well ventilated and strictly regulated outside dining area, is beyond me.

“However, I guess there are two main issues. Number one and which is of the utmost importance to all of Wales’ pubs and restaurants right now, is that we still have not had our restart grants here in Wales. These specific funds have been given to the Welsh Government from Westminster but not released to any of Welsh hospitality sector. How can that be? England has, Scotland has and I believe Northern Ireland has.

“It’s incredibly difficult to reopen outside with no help in the outlay for marquees/heaters etc. Even restocking our cellars is a very daunting prospect. It’s an expensive gamble for us all. But we are expected to open so have had to find the cash from elsewhere.

“We are so confused how the Welsh Government can just keep the thousands of pounds which should be arriving in all the pubs and restaurants accounts to help us all reopen in Wales.

The second, and at this very moment a lesser thought, has been the confusion from our customers with absolutely no continuity throughout lockdown between the devolved governments.”