More than three-quarters of pubs could reopen if social distancing rules are eased as venues plan to exit lockdown through thermal imaging cameras and app orders.
One of Manchester’s most popular bars has installed perspex screens between booths and at the bar, a one-way system, removed tables and cut down its menu.
Albert’s Schloss is also significantly reducing its maximum capacity to ensure that a safe distance can be kept between customers.
It could be a taste of things to come at hospitality venues across the UK amid warnings 40 per cent of pubs could shut down if they stay closed until September.
Industry chiefs have suggested that over three-quarters of British pubs could reopen if safety measures were taken including relaxing distancing rules to one metre.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has warned of financial misery and ruin for thousands of pubs if the two-metre rule remains in place.
Boris Johnson gave the struggling hospitality sector a flicker of hope on Wednesday by hinting that restaurants, hotels and bars could reopen earlier than planned after he asked scientists to review current social distancing guidance.
One of Manchester’s most popular bars has installed perspex screens between booths and at the bar, a one-way system, removed tables and cut down its menu
This picture shows a Wetherpoon pub in south London when it was still open. The graphic shows the rules that could be in place in many pubs across the country when they reopen
Before being seated or served, customers will face a temperature screening from a thermal imaging camera which alerts staff to anyone with an elevated temperature
The industry, which has been devastated by strict lockdown rules, is pushing for a reduction of the social distancing measure to one metre, so that businesses can pull in more customers and try to recoup money over the summer.
Manchester pub Albert’s Schloss is ahead of most venues by introducing key innovations which will allow its doors to reopen this weekend.
Guests are greeted outside by a sign displaying ‘Haus rules’, a marked-out queueing system, and a beer tap-style hand sanitising station.
Before being seated or served, customers will face a temperature screening from a thermal imaging camera which alerts staff to anyone with an elevated temperature.
If staff suspect anyone on site is unwell – customer or otherwise – they are likely to be asked to leave and seek medical attention.
One of the most drastic changes has taken place upstairs in its sister venue, the Albert Hall, which has been filled with long tables to accommodate more diners.
Albert’s Schloss will reduce and rotate the number of staff working to keep the number of people on site to a minimum, and has appointed a ‘Covid officer’ who will be responsible for ensuring strict hygiene measures are adhered to.
Guests are greeted outside by a sign displaying ‘Haus rules’, a marked-out queueing system, and a beer tap-style hand sanitising station
Manchester pub Albert’s Schloss is ahead of most venues by introducing key innovations which will allow its doors to reopen this weekend
Diners will be able to either order and pay for their food through an app, or nominate what Albert’s Schloss is calling a ‘table captain’ who will be given a disposable paper menu and pencil to fill out the party’s orders.
Customers will then decide how they’d like to receive their food and drinks – at designated collection points, or straight to the table as normal.
Utensils and condiments are to be sanitised thoroughly between each customer and staff will undergo thorough hand-washing every 20 minutes.
Venue bosses have admitted that operating with such a reduced capacity won’t be financially profitable, but that it should help to at least pay staff wages.
The innovations have been made as government scientists formally review the two-metre rule in an effort to restart the engines of UK plc.
Pressure to ease lockdown restrictions further is coming from the BBPA, which represents about 20,000 British pubs and the majority of brewers.
Its chief executive Emma McClarkin said the two metre rule should be reduced to one metre as advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The graphic shows what rules could be in place in pubs across the country when they reopen
The graphic shows what rules could be in place in hotels across the country when they reopen
She said: ‘We’re not asking unless it’s safe to do.
‘It is an internationally recognised standard of one metre, used in France, Italy and Denmark, which allows some kind of normality.
‘Pubs are currently on a very highly tuned government life-support machine.
‘The longer they remain on it, and with all the other medicines they have to pay for, some won’t survive. Once pubs close they are very, very hard to resuscitate.’
Ms McClarkin said polling of BBPA members showed about 40 per cent could not survive until September if they remained closed, and the pub sector was burning through roughly £100million in cash every month during lockdown.
Under current plans, pubs, hotels and restaurants remain closed until at least July 4.
Ms McClarkin, a former Conservative MEP for the East Midlands region, said polling of members also showed just one-third could re-open under two-metre guidelines, with that figure jumping to more than 75 per cent if it is dropped to one metre.
At the Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday, Mr Johnson told MPs the scientific advisory group for emergencies had been told to review the guidance.
He said: ‘My own hope is that as we make progress in getting the virus down, in reducing the incidence, that we will be able to reduce that distance, which I think will be particularly valuable in transport and clearly the hospitality sector.’
The graphic shows what rules could be in place in amusement parks when they reopen
Public Health England’s medical director, Professor Yvonne Doyle, told the Science and Technology Select Committee: ‘We are aware of the international differences and I am sure this will be the subject of continued investigation as to whether two metres is actually necessary or whether that can be reduced further.’
Bars have assessed how to keep staff and customers safe, looking at deep cleaning regimes and options including limited bar service to reduce transmission.
One million people are employed in the beer brewing and pub industry in the UK, with hundreds of thousand currently furloughed, and jobs could be lost if two-metre social distancing remained as fewer staff would be needed, the BBPA said.
Last week, pub giant Wetherspoon’s said it will spend an initial £11million making its 875 pubs Covid-19 secure, ahead of reopening, including screens at bars and tables.
The chain said each pub will hire two full-time workers to regularly clean surfaces and touch-points throughout, with more employed in larger pubs.