Pubs and restaurants have been amongst the hardest hit.

Many have only been able to offer takeaway food, while others closed completely.

Now owners are frantically "mobilising" their staff ahead of what is expected to be a mammoth weekend of trading.

Pub Group manager Craig Power said there were a lot of nerves ahead of Thursday's 11am press conference, and the feeling after it was euphoric.

"There was immense relief, the build up around reopening while we were still closed created an immense amount of stress and anxiety amongst your staff, amongst management, amongst customers and amongst the general public," he said.

"There's been a massive amount of pressure, I think the decision is correct.

"We're still not out of the woods with COVID and I don't think we'll ever be out of the woods with COVID, it'll always be there and we've got to learn to live with it."

Mr Power is gearing up for a massive weekend across Pub Group venues, with people extremely keen to get out and about again.

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Tamworth Business Chamber president Stephanie Cameron said the lockdown was released just in time, with many outlets around town nearing their breaking point.

She also expects to see a lot of people enjoying their regained freedoms this weekend.

"I think some people will grab the opportunity to get out and about where we haven't' been able to before," she said.

"There might be some people who are a little reticent, a little slow to come back out of lockdown, and all I can do is encourage people to come out, shop local and stay local."

She said it would have been nice to receive a little more notice, and it will be a rush for some businesses to get their affairs fully in order before Saturday, but they would be elated nonetheless.

Part of that quick mobilisation is managers getting in contact with staff to tell them that after a month of being stood down, they would be needed for their shifts again.

That, according to Courthouse Hotel manager Keagan Cohen, was a very special moment.

"We have a group chat between all staff members and there were high emotions from everyone, we're all quite ecstatic," he said.

Mr Cohen will certainly be needing those workers this weekend, with an explosion of bookings being made following the end-of-lockdown announcement.

"We've been almost fully booked at the moment, I've been watching our reservation system and within the first hour we had 140 people booked, spread out across the whole day on Saturday," he said.

So for those hoping to enjoy some gourmet food or an afternoon beverage on the weekend, the message is clear: get in fast.

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