Paul Ainsworth: 'We’ve taken 3,000 bookings in two days – it’s been incredible'

Paul Ainsworth says he’s struggling to keep up with customer demand after taking 3,000 bookings in the past two days.

The bookings are across restaurants No.6 and Caffè Rojano in Padstow, the Mariners pub in Rock and the Padstow Townhouse guesthouse.

“The past two days have been incredible and we are actually struggling to keep up with demand,” he told The Caterer.

“Since yesterday morning we’ve taken around 3,000 bookings via telephone, email and our online booking platform. Eighty per cent of those guests have booked from July to September and each guest has made a minimum of two reservations. One guest has booked the Mariners every Wednesday for the next three months.”

Ainsworth says he normally has a guest relations team of two or three people in busier months, but has increased this to 10 in response to prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement yesterday that the hospitality industry can reopen on 4 July.

“Emma and I were, of course, extremely relieved following Boris Johnson’s announcement and are so thankful to all those who have booked with us over the coming months.”

Meanwhile, Oakman Inns says it has taken more than 3,000 bookings for its opening day on 4 July, with two of its 28 pubs already fully booked.

Chief executive Peter Borg-Neal said: “The critical impact for us will be the reduced capacity – not a lack of public demand. The significant challenge will be to ensure that everyone who visits us and works for us has a safe and enjoyable time.”

The group has created a mobile reservations and order app which it says complies with the new regulation to collect customers’ contact details.