PUB landlords and their staff have pulled their first pints for three months across bars in Wiltshire.

Old friends and families were pleased to get out and meet up again while enjoying a quiet – or noisy – drink at their locals.

At the Tollgate Inn in Holt, manager Mark Hodges, was “delighted” to be back behind the bar and trading again.

“It’s been really good. We’re really pleased to be open again and seeing customers.

“We opened up at 9.30am for coffees and we’ve been busy all day.

“We didn’t start serving alcohol until midday but we’re taking bookings for people eating outside.

“We’re expecting our heated marquee to be full all week,” said Mr Hodges, 45, who runs the pub with his wife Laura.

Villagers in Holt were equally delighted to be able to enjoy a drink with friends.

Members of the village’s Ham, Egg & Chips Club – otherwise known as the Heclers – met up at the pub on Tuesday for the first time in months.

Member Bob Mizen, 73, said: “We’ve been holding meetings online for the past three months so we’re glad to be out.

“The club’s been going for 20 years and we meet up here every Tuesday from 6pm-7pm.”

Sitting outside, were Karl Hannaford, 76, and Eve Harvey, 33, from local company SystemPAK, who were having a team meeting to discuss the firm’s website.

“It was a spur of the moment decision to come to the pub. It’s all about supporting the local business community,” said Mr Hannaford, who recently moved the business from Trowbridge to Holt.

At Wadworth’s Barge Inn in Seend Cleeve, manager Alan Hill, 28, was busy serving customers under the tent covering in his beer garden.

“I’m ecstatic about being able to trade again,” said Mr Hill, from Helston in Cornwall.

“This is a country pub at the heart of its community but we attract a lot of trade from canal-boaters and people using the Kennet & Avon canal towpath.

“I joined when the pub was closed and then reopened it in December and closed it again for Christmas.

“It’s fantastic to be open again. We’ve had a steady stream of customers throughout the day.

“We can seat around 100 under our stretched tent and have around 600 people booked in for the weekend.”

At the popular canal-side eatery, The Lock Inn at Bradford on Avon, owner Mark Laycock was delighted to reopen.

He said: “We have worked hard to get ready our outside area ready for today and we are licensed until midnight. We are not a pub so we shall keep an eye on things.

“But it’s brilliant to be open again. We have put a lot of work into our outdoor area and have 86 tables all socially distanced. We’re expecting to be really busy at lunchtime.

“We are taking bookings online for meals and will be taking bookings today for our canoes.”