FROM today, people in Wales will be able to enjoy the spring sunshine from a pub garden, restaurant or café.

More rules have relaxed across the nation from today, Monday April 26, after Welsh Government gave hospitality businesses the green light on Friday that they could reopen their doors and welcome back customers for the first time physically this year.

Wales has the lowest coronavirus rates of the UK nations, the Welsh Government previously confirmed, which is why ministers had been able to confidently allow venues to start pouring pints and serving meals again.

Below, we’ve got all the information you’ll need to know if you choose to take advantage of these new relaxations:

Are cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars able to open?

Outdoor hospitality - including cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars providing outdoor services - are allowed to open.

There are no longer any limits to when alcoholic drinks can be sold as normal licencing laws now apply.

How can cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars operate safely outdoors?

The Welsh Government says that venues are required to take all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus.

For example:

• all food and drink should be consumed at tables

• contact details will be required for contact tracing purposes

• customers will be encouraged to pre-book with details of all members of the group.

• entry to the premises will be controlled

• face coverings must be worn other than when seated to eat or drink

• licenced premises, such as pubs, will be providing table service only

• physical distancing measures will be applied, such as tables being spaced out

When utilising outdoor spaces, hospitality venues are required to ensure that the use of physical coverings, awnings, gazebos, marquees and similar structures are implemented in a way that is aligned with current public health advice.

Generally, this means that structures with a roof or ceiling must be open-sided (at least 3 sides or more than 51 per cent open).

Who can I visit outdoor cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars with?

You can visit outdoor hospitality venues such as cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars with your household or up to six people from no more than six households (not including any children or carers from any of these households).

What are the current rules on who I can meet up with outdoors?

Currently, up to six people from up to six households (excluding any carers or children under 11 from any of these households) can meet outdoors at any one time.

This includes public outdoor spaces such as parks and outdoor areas of regulated premises and private outdoor spaces such as gardens.

However, Welsh Government ask that people do try and reduce the number of different people they see. They say it is better to see the same people regularly than to see lots of different people occasionally.

It is also stressed that people continue to maintain social distancing and good hand hygiene.

You must not meet up with people from outside your support bubble, if you have one, indoors.