A la Colthard/restaurants – what will be the new normal?

Next month outdoor dining returns – and the following total dining, subject to restrictions in both.

I have already booked for the terrace of Hush in Lancaster Court off Bond Street and my beloved English’s in Brighton and cannot wait.

Till then the Colthard household will continue to subsist on home deliveries.

My favourite is Cote at Home, a wide selection of French bistro cuisine which encompasses a bakery, pantry and cellar as well as starters, mains and desserts.

I would recommend the Boeuf Bourguignon and apple tart particularly.

My colleague Tanya Gold in her Spectator column exposed the Great Box rip-off whereby well known restaurants are delivering dishes at silly prices.

One that does not is the Wolseley Group.

They are not cheap but the money goes into a staff fund.

Here I would recommend the fluffy Wiener Schnitzel.

The advantages here are they are easy to cook and you can drink with it your own wine and not pay ridiculous prices.

But what of the future I ask you and myself?

Will it ever be the same? The tedium of lockdowns will motivate diners to get out initially especially millennials but this may not last.

Diners may avoid city centres, the fear factor won’t go away, diners will be careful with their spend.

Those overpriced, snooty restaurants that are “doing you a favour” may well suffer and good riddance!!