Royal Hotel pours first drinks early on Thursday morning

Regional Victoria welcomed new restrictions at 11.59pm on Wednesday night, allowing patrons to once again enjoy a beverage at the pub.

Mere minutes after the new rules came into effect, Royal Hotel publican Grant Fiedler was pouring a beer for a parched patron.

The Hotel opened at midnight and closed at 3am, serving mostly young customers undeterred by the working week.

"The idea was just to celebrate being able to reopen," Mr Fiedler said.

"People haven't been able to go to the bar for a long time, and they have been missing it."

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Mr Fiedler said the event was well attended.

"It was a success. I'd have to guess that around 30 to 40 people came in," he said.

"It was obviously a very popular thing with the local young people.

"Everyone who came along, I poured them a free pot too, just to celebrate reopening."

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