On the first day bars and restaurants reopened their doors we, like many others, inched a tentative toe across the threshold of our chosen venue.

Staff, clad in plastic visors, welcomed us warmly and briefed us on the protocol. We sanitised our hands, then followed the spaced dots on the floor to our seats at an isolated table.

As Cat took delivery of a foamy cappuccino she found herself ridiculously grateful. Grateful for the semblance of normality, for the chance for a bit of idle chatter with the waiting staff and for the long-missed pleasure of a milky moustache. We've missed you, Quay Arts.

Matt tucked into his delicious macaroni cheese as if it had been months, which it had.

Chasing it down with a sip of Thatcher's Gold, he stared out of the cafe's open doors at the drizzle dancing on the newly-decked terrace beyond.

We're not incompetent; we've been able to feed ourselves more than adequately during lockdown. In fact his own homemade mac was probably on a par with the Quay's version, presented to him with a side salad and a couple of chunks of garlic bread.

He noted, as he twanged the strings of the stretchy cheesy topping, that — like himself — the chef had failed to source the traditional macaroni pasta; but penne was a reasonable substitute.

The chicken and avocado salad was a goodly pile of quite conventional ingredients. Nicely dressed and presented, it was a wholesome lunch.

We were quite emotional being back in a restaurant. Food is only a part of the best meals — and we hadn't really realised just how much of the experience we would miss.

We appreciate anew the journey, the service, the venue and above all the casual company of other people, both fellow diners and serving staff. We're grateful to be back.

Who knows how sustainable social distanced drinking and dining will be for the Island's businesses? With a much reduced number of covers plus some potential customers still rightly unsure about mixing with others, it could be difficult times ahead.

But, to those people who have accused us of "destroying local businesses", we put our lives on the line today for a hobby that we love — and a venue we love too.

Stay safe, people. And cheers!

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Matt and Cat's bill

Chicken and avocado salad £9.45

Macaroni cheese £7.50

Thatcher's Gold £4.25

Cappuccino £2.90

Total £24.10

Rating

Three stars: a decent place that we’d recommend