Paul Ainsworth has said he is struggling to keep up with customer demand after his team took 3,000 bookings in just two days.

The Cornwall-based chef said the reservations were taken across is two Padstow restaurants, No. 6 and Caffe Rojano, as well as The Mariners pub in Rock, and his guesthouse.

“The past two days have been incredible and we are actually struggling to keep up with demand,” he told The Caterer.

“Since yesterday morning we’ve taken around 3,000 bookings via telephone, email and our online booking platform.

“Eighty per cent of those guests have booked from July to September and each guest has made a minimum of two reservations. One guest has booked the Mariners every Wednesday for the next three months.”

Ainsworth said he normally operates with a guest relations team of two or three people in busier months – ahead of the summer season – but has increased the number to 10 in response to prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that the hospitality industry can reopen properly on July 4.