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More on KentOnline
A new outdoor dining venture launched amid the adversity of the pandemic is looking forward to welcoming customers as lockdown lifts.
Tipis Restaurant is based in a set of luxurious tents erected on the grounds of The Gardens, a wedding venue in Yalding which was faced with cancelling celebrations in the face of coronavirus restrictions.
Emma and Tom Clark, whose family own the wedding venue, say they developed the restaurant concept with Glow Events as a way of keeping their employees in work while nuptials were off the menu.
"We launched Tipis Restaurant in October from our family wedding venue The Gardens," 31-year-old Emma said.
"We haven't been able to run weddings from the venue since March 2020 so we wanted to open the venue's doors back up in a Covid-secure way, but also we really wanted to keep our amazing staff and chefs employed and working.
"We wanted to support our local wedding suppliers who we have relied on massively for this process, and we also wanted to - as a business in Kent - support the local food and drink producers that are in the area, so all of our food is locally sourced from various local producers.
"We have some beautiful tipis that are in the gardens and to make sure it's really Covid safe in April when we open we will be opening the sides of the tipis, and what that means for people who come to dine with us is that they will get beautiful views of our gardens."
The Gardens is a 12-acre property with 16 individual gardens showcasing a variety of different planting styles.
Tipis Restaurant can seat close to 60 diners, all in a socially-distanced and Covid-secure setting.
Describing what guests can expect when they visit, Tom said: "The food is hearty British food, it's all made with local ingredients and it's just got a very rustic, earthy feel to it, and it just represents The Gardens on the table.
"We have kept the chefs on, and they produce great food and great menus."
Couples who had hoped to tie the knot in the last 12 months have had they plans disrupted by the restrictions placed on the events and hospitality industries, and now the wedding industry is warning thousands more ceremonies in England will have to be cancelled following confusion over the Government’s road map out of lockdown.
The Weddings Taskforce, set up with the support of Government to represent the sector, had expected all venues to reopen from April 12 based on "widespread" interpretation of guidance published on February 24.
But it said it had now received confirmation, after weeks of asking, that weddings and receptions are only permitted for 15 guests between April 12 and May 16 in places of worship, public buildings, locations and outdoor settings that are already permitted to open.
This does not include the vast majority of England’s licensed wedding venues where more than 70% of ceremonies take place.
Despite the travails of the industry amid the ongoing pandemic crisis, Emma said: "We have just been keeping so positive throughout this time.
"Our couples have been absolutely amazing, we have obviously launched the restaurant and that's been a hugely positive experience because it means that our couples - not only our past couples but also our couples who have been so patient - can come and enjoy the grounds and enjoy the food while they wait for their wedding day.
"We have been feeling really positive, but it has been a really difficult time for our venue, for our suppliers, and it's been massively difficult for the industry."
Tipis Restaurant is scheduled to reopen to guests on April 12.
It is then expected to close again in June for the wedding season, but the Clarks plan to welcome diners to the restaurant come the autumn.
