Key Safety Issues in Hospitality Post-Lockdown

Written on 08-Jul-2020

It’s great to see so many pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants re-opening across the UK now that they are deemed ‘Covid-safe’.

For those who have opened their doors again, there are some key safety issues and guidance that came up from many hospitality professionals after the first weekend:

Managing Entry to Licensed Premises

There are some key things to consider to help with this:

Have staff at the entrance explaining the safety measures in place and what’s expected of customers in the premises
Identify the capacity in your premises that means social distancing can be reasonably maintained, display this at the entrance and monitor numbers in the premises
Make plans for queues outside premises so that people can queue socially distantly, out of the road and without causing obstructions to others
Where possible provide space for smokers outside which doesn’t obstruct the doorway or any queues. If space cannot be provided, make sure the entrance to the premises is kept clear for people entering or leaving
If you have more than one door think about a one way system for entry and exit
Encourage customers to use hand sanitiser on entry
Take customer contact details on entry to help with the NHS Test & Trace system

Social Distancing

It is recommended that you expect your customers to not be following social distancing so you do all you can to make it easy for them. For example, separating tables, encouraging people to sit down in their groups and marking out socially distant spaces on floors and seats.

According to government guidelines, it is also extremely important that table service and contactless ordering is provided where possible.

Music

To help reduce one of the biggest causes of transmission of Coronavirus, it is recommended by the government that you keep music and sound at a low level or off completely so people don’t have to raise their voices.

If noise cannot be avoided, for example by hand dryers or coffee machines, try not to talk or shout over the noise and remind your guests to do the same.

It is so important that all hospitality establishments to their best to try to avoid a spike in cases so we can stay open, keep people in jobs and prosper.

For full guidance, visit the government website.