The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen has taken a staggering 3,400 bookings in a week for its Al Fresco Gallery Bar experience, which will open on 8 July, Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 10pm.
The Chester Hotel has invested in 25 metre long transparent, canopied marquee which has open sides to allow guests to eat and drink outdoors. It is expected that up to 70 guests can visit at one time while remaining at two-metre physical distancing. The Alfresco Gallery Bar has outdoor planting, rooftop lighting and heating. However, due to the demand for tables, a second marquee has been ordered today to extend the covered area further and to give greater capacity for bookings.
“We’ve been working hard throughout lockdown to prepare for the day when we can reopen, says Stephen Gow, general manager at The Chester Hotel. “But I don’t think anything has prepared us for the reaction that we’ve had. We had been considering erecting a second marquee, and it looks as if we will put a second one in place to service demand. There will be a partnership between our team and our guests to make the new way of working a success.”
Guests will be asked to observe the hotel’s new procedures which include one way systems for clients and staff members alike, staffed toilets, two hour reservation periods and cashless payment. All areas will be sanitised with electrostatic fogging technology after every use.