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29
Jun 2020
Ripon restaurant bookings picking up
Restaurants in Ripon are reporting lots of bookings for July 4 after being given the go-ahead by government to reopen, but the dining experience will be bittersweet due to social distancing restrictions.
Rick Jones, owner of Italian restaurant Valentinos, told the Stray Ferret they are “full steam ahead” and expecting a full house on July 4, albeit with a reduced seating capacity of around 30%.
It will be a different type of table service on July 4 and interaction between staff and customer will be minimised, which Mr Jones hopes won’t put too many customers off.
He said:
Richard Hughes and his partner Magdalena Torres are the owners of Spanish Tapas bar and restaurant Manchega. As a self-declared “party person” Mr Hughes told the Stray Ferret he’s missed the social aspect of running a busy restaurant.
He said:
But Manchega won't be opening until July 14 as the owners are allowing their Spanish head chef return to his home country to visit family. Mr Hughes also wants to see how busy other restaurants are in Ripon from July 4.
Read more:
Restaurant owner looks forward to reopening Valentino’s in Ripon
Queues as McDonalds Drive-thrus open in Knaresborough and Ripon
Mario Fantino has been serving up traditional Italian food at Prima Pizzeria for over 30 years. He told the Stray Ferret it was “heartbreaking” to see it stand empty for many months.
He said they are almost fully booked for next weekend and the early signs are positive for the rest of the summer.
He also believes people in Ripon "can't wait" to go out for a slice of Pepperoni or Margherita in his restaurant.
He said:
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