Littlehampton’s pubs, cafés and restaurants reopen indoors – in pictures

Hospitality businesses welcomed customers indoors for the first time this year as diners enjoyed meals and drinks without wrapping up for a beer garden.

Arcade Lounge in Arcade Road has endured a torrid 18 months after first opening in January last year.

Owner Saty Singh said it was ‘absolutely fantastic’ to be reopening for the third time in the business’ short lifespan.

“I was a little bit anxious to see how people react inside,” he said.

“It’s going to be another learning curve – we’ve had over three months without anyone inside.

“We were struggling enough with how busy it has been just outside, so this is a whole new element.

“But obviously we’re really happy to be back open and finally seeing a light at the end of the dark times.”

As with other restaurants, Arcade Lounge has introduced social distancing measures, table service, hand sanitizers ‘all over the place’, increased cleaning and all of the other strict policies that have become commonplace over the last 18 months.

It opens to the public today (May 18), but many restaurants, cafés and pubs fully opened yesterday and brought some much-needed life back to the town centre.

Other indoor spaces such as cinemas, theatres and libraries have also reopened their doors following a lengthy hiatus.