Wetherspoons bosses are planning to re-open Grantham's Tollemache Inn in June- but will do so only if the government allows it.

The pub chain confirmed to Nub News after reports chairman Tim Martin told investors he was working on "in or around June" for such an event.

Like with all other pubs, Wetherspoons was ordered to close all its 867 outlets on March 20 by the government. It meant the company furloughing 99% of its 40,000 workers.

The government has suggested that pubs could be the last places to re-open due to social distancing rules.

However, the company has said it believes it is better placed than other pubs for any relaxation in the lockdown, saying its pubs are larger than average and most have outside facilities.

City investors have also been told the company has added "increased social distancing" to its business model.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said in a statement to Nub News: " Wetherspoon has no hotline to the government as to when pubs might be permitted to reopen and we doubt if the government itself has yet made a decision on this.

"Like all companies we are trying to make a plan for the future and are guessing that they may be allowed to reopen in late June, around three months after they closed.

"However, that is just an estimate and may prove to be entirely incorrect.

"Wetherspoon, like all pub companies, closed its doors when ordered to do so by the government – and will only reopen when it is permitted to do so."