Covid-19 Guidance for Publicans Update!

OK, this is now online (website), advice for employers, ie publicans, it starts off with Health & Safety, making assessments, including staff in assessment, making a Risk Assessment. Workers and Customers who are unwell should go home/stay at home, wash hands and clean surfaces more frequently, using screens or barriers. 

Regarding customers, the publican should keep a list of customers for 21 days (!) in case NHS Test & Trace get in touch, as I suggested before, may get a few 'Micky Mouses'; indoors, people together should come from just 2 households including support bubbles; outdoors, there should be similar or groups of at most 6 people from different households, noting it is "against the law to gather in groups of more than 30 people" 

Steps recommended for publicans include reconfiguring tables and chairs to maintain social distancing; working with others in case there are queues (!); Managing queues and entry, this implies door security; Providing clear guidance on hygiene and social distancing; Encouraging customers to clean their hands with sanitizer; etc etc...

There is further advice about hygiene if selling food. 

OK, cutting & pasting the next bit, looks similar to what I was suggesting in my last blog, why am I not surprised? 

1. Encouraging use of contactless ordering from tables where available. For example, through an ordering app.
2. Adjusting service approaches to minimise staff contact with customers. Indoor table service must be used where possible, alongside further measures such as assigning a single staff member per table. Outdoor table service should also be encouraged, although customers are permitted to stand outside if distanced appropriately. Where bar or counter service is unavoidable, preventing customers from remaining at the bar or counter after ordering.
3. Adjusting processes to prevent customers from congregating at points of service. For example, having only staff collect and return empty glasses to the bar.
4. Minimising contact between kitchen workers and front of house workers. For example, by having zones from which front of house staff can collect food.
5. Encouraging use of outdoor areas for service where possible. For example, increasing outdoor seating or outdoor points of service such as stalls.

It goes on to deal with keeping toilets cleaned regularly, hand sanitizer available for all, then on to staff issues, above is pretty much what us customers are interested in.

We are heading for interesting times, and not a few pub closures I fear.