A PUB has come up with a creative way of serving customers from different households as Dorset moves to Tier 2 coronavirus restrictions - heated outdoor 'beach huts'.

But many more pubs have revealed they will not be reopening their doors due to the regulations.

The Red Lion pub in Weymouth has installed six beach huts in its beer garden which can set up to six guests in a covid-secure setting. A team of staff has built the huts by hand over the last eight weeks and each hut has a picnic table, an electric heater and fairy lights.

They all feature red and green lights on the outside so customers can flick their light to green if they want a waiter to come and take their order or leave it on red when they don't need anything.

The huts are outside and the doors will remain open so groups of up to six people from different households will be allowed to mix.

Landlady Sarah Bodnick said: "We are really excited to get the customers back in and for them to see the huts in person.

"We are so lucky we have enough outdoor space to have the huts and some additional tables with umbrellas and heaters so we can accommodate everyone."

As per Tier 2 restrictions, only pubs that serve 'substantial meals' are able to reopen as of tomorrow. For wet only pubs like The Globe, that means their doors have to stay closed for a while longer.

Mike Carter, landlord at The Globe, said: "We don't serve food so we have no choice but to remain closed.

"I'm not very happy but there is nothing I can do about it. I'm really missing working and want to get the regulars back in. We just have to wait and see what the government decides to do next."

The Belvedere, in Weymouth, is able to reopen as it serves food - but bosses have decided to stay shut due to the stress of trying to enforce restrictions on customers.

Landlady Lyn Mackenzie said: "It was difficult enough trying to enforce the restrictions back when we were in Tier 1 before the second lockdown.

"Even then my staff received a lot of abuse from customers that were not following rules so I don't think it is fair to put them through that again.

"When you go into the pub trade, you do it because you enjoy the social aspect, not because you want to police customers."