The last 12 months has been a challenging time for everyone, but there is promising news for those who love a pint - a date to for pubs to reopen has been set.

Following the government announcing a roadmap out of lockdown on Monday, it has been decided that you can sit down outside and have a pint from Monday, April 12.

If you'd like to sup a beer inside a pub you'll have to wait slightly longer, Monday, May 17 to be precise.

So, which beer gardens in our area do we recommend visiting when the glorious time comes?

We've selected three of our favourites from a long list of excellent pub beer gardens on offer in and around our wonderful town.

1) The Victoria. Ickleford Road

In our humble opinion 'The Vic' is quite simply the best pub in Hitchin. Excellent service from knowledge and hard-working bar staff, allied with a welcome that is warm and genuine.

We love their beer garden too.

It might be a while until regular life returns to allow it to become as wonderfully atmospheric as it was during its renowned 'VicFest' days - or indeed most weekends prior to lockdown - but with the vaccine busy doing its job, the fact we'll be allowed to sup there in little more than six weeks is a huge positive for anyone who loves a brilliant beer garden in a brilliant boozer.

2) The Half Moon

On Queen Street, the very excellent Half Moon is run by the equally very excellent Freddy and Emily.

Along with many other landlords in the town the pair had been busy making their establishments as safe as they could possibly be between the first and second lockdowns outside and inside - until Lockdown 3.0 hit.

For real ale enthusiasts, no visit to Hitchin town centre is complete without a beer at the Half Moon.

Another pub with an excellent atmosphere and brilliant bar staff and service prior to Covid, and everyone at Hitchin Nub News Towers is looking forward to heading back to the Half Moon to sup a beer or two in the spring sunshine in their surprisingly underrated beer garden.

Kudos to Freddy and Em also for hosting Hitchin Food Rescue at their pub.

3) Wetherspoon

The chain might not be everyone's cup of tea - or pint - but if we're purely talking beer gardens, then the town centre site on Sun Street offers the largest outdoor space in town, for sunny days this summer.

Other notable beer garden mentions must also go to:

The Kite at the Red Hart,

The George in Ickleford,

The Bull in Gosmore,

The Red Lion, Preston

Other pubs with beer gardens include:

The Angels on Bedford Road,

Molly Malones,

The Three Moorhens

You've read OUR recommendations - now tell us YOURS.

What is your have a favourite pub beer garden in and around Hitchin? Tweet us @HitchinNubNews or join the discussion on our Hitchin Nub News Facebook page.

If enough people respond from among our many thousands of readers in Hitchin and north Herts we'll run a follow-up piece ahead of the big day when we can plan our return to pubs - cheers!