THE town’s pubgoers downed up to 117 pints per minute at their peak after they were allowed back inside pubs this week.

Thousands turned out to make the most of it as lockdown restrictions were eased, allowing pubs to welcome them indoors for the first time in months.

Manager of the Rat Trap Mark Richardson saw around 200 people walk through the door on Monday. 

He told the Adver: “It was absolutely fantastic. We all thoroughly enjoyed seeing our regulars back again. The pub was fully booked on Monday and Tuesday, we’re fully booked for this weekend too. It’s joyous to be back.

“It’s about time that pubs were allowed to reopen, we can’t keep blaming the industry for outbreaks. Everyone sticks to the rule.

“I’m not surprised that 117 pints were drunk per minute in Swindon. It seems a lot of pubs, like us, were very busy on Monday. We served about 80 meals on that day too.”

The co-owner of The Tuppenny in Devizes road, Jamie Stapleton, was also unsurprised by the figure. 

He said: “In a word it was brilliant, there was a palpable keenness for people to come back, not just because it’s a pub, but to us too.

“Historically, Monday nights would be very quiet but it was as busy as a Friday or Saturday. It was extremely buoyant, it was great.

“We don’t have an outdoor space, so we weren’t able to have customers since Christmas Eve. But we’ve decided to open up at 8.30am instead of midday, so customers can come in for a coffee or tea now.”

Banking firm Revolut analysed the data of 4,000 of its customers in Swindon on Monday. The biggest spenders in the area were 25 to 34 year-old women, although Revolut said their customers tend to be slightly younger than the national average.

People in Swindon spent £11.93 per transaction on average, compared to the average of £12.86around Britain, although one punter did spend £165.13 in just one purchase in a pub or restaurant.

Spending in bars across Great Britain was still six per cent below normal levels – which could be because thousands of pubs are still closed and those open have significantly reduced capacity, the British Beer and Pub Association said.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “After some questionable weather during the last week or so, we know Brits are looking forward to being back inside the pub once more.

“This is by no means the end of the crisis for our sector. We need pubs fully reopened without any restrictions at all on June 21 if they are to survive and trade viably.

“The countdown to freedom, and recovery, is on.”

Spending in the town’s restaurants was 19 per cent lower than what would have been expected last year, compared to the average across Britain of 32 per cent below.

UK Hospitality said this week’s reopening represents a significant step for the sector as a whole.

But Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the trade association, added the step closer to normality was “psychological rather than economic”, as businesses are still operating with significant restrictions.

“That’s why we need the Government to stick to the roadmap and remove all restrictions beyond June 21,” she said.

But it is thought the date for the last step in the roadmap could be postponed as a result of the new Indian variant, which is believed to be more transmissable than previous mutations of the coronavirus.