HARRY Ramsden's at Bournemouth beach will open for business from tomorrow.

The hugely popular fish and chip restaurant and takeaway is one of three branches in the UK opening its doors at 11.30am.

And it is certain to attract the crowds with hot and sunny weather in the forecast.

Harry Ramsden's, owned by Deep Blue Restaurants, has been closed since the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown.

But the company has made the decision to open Bournemouth, Brighton and Eastbourne branches for takeaway only.

It insists strict social distancing measures will be in place and said the three branches have been chosen because they are used to dealing with large numbers of people.

A spokesman for Deep Blue Restaurants said: "With the UK Government’s relaxation of the rules regarding spending time outdoors and lifting the restrictions on travelling for outdoor activity, coupled with the sunny spell due to hit the UK this week, Harry Ramsden’s message to customers is to be responsible but to enjoy this time."

CEO and Founder, James Low said: "We are expecting to attract a lot of people who have been looking forward to spending some quality time with their families and enjoying fish and chips on the beach.

"This prolonged period of isolation has been very challenging for many and we want people to enjoy their outdoor leisure activity, while adhering to the rules and respecting one another.

"While our takeaways could have remained open during the lockdown, we wanted to make sure we were taking responsible steps, applying new safety measures for our staff and customers and waiting for the right time to reopen. We are confident this is the right time and we very much hope people will be able to enjoy their Harry Ramsden’s fish and chips at the seaside this week."

David Ellison, Chief Operating Officer, added: "Customers will be asked to queue with clearly marked two metre distancing and we will provide sanitising stations for customers entering and leaving the store.

"Teams in our seaside locations are used to dealing with large numbers during busy periods so we believe these three locations are best placed to reopen since the restrictions on the public have been eased. We have been liaising with local authorities regarding our social

distancing measures to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep our team and the general public safe.

"We will be encouraging customers to be mindful of their behaviour when it comes to social distancing and to act responsibly when disposing of packaging."