“I’m pleased with the announcements today. We are 12 days away from reopening the sector and by the very nature of our industry, we simply wouldn’t have been able to wait any longer to get clarity. I’ve personally spoken to hundreds of operators who are desperate to open their doors and who can now start planning rotas, opening booking systems and restocking fridges.”
“The last three months have been the toughest our sector has ever faced. There will be hard times to come as we adjust to these new ways of operating, but I’m confident with the guidance being published that we will now have the blocks to start rebuilding the sector and helping it back onto its feet.”
On social distancing:
“The two metre spacing requirements would have devastated the sector and put thousands of operators out of business, so the relaxation of rules is welcomed. A one metre plus regulation will enable more customers to enter premises, more sales to be made and ultimately more venues to stay open. There’s obviously some confusion and we need more clarity with regards to the wearing of face masks, but it’s a good start and injects some hope into a sector that has been damaged, for some irreversibly, during the crisis.”
“My only concern is the onus on the operator on ensuring social distancing remains in place, especially when customers have been drinking. It will be incredibly difficult to implement especially as friends and family begin to bunch together after a few pints. I want to ensure that while operators should act in good faith in terms of adhering to guidelines and doing all they can, that they aren’t penalised for customer behaviour.”
On contact tracing:
“Licensed premises are already adept to ID checks so while the measure sounds easy enough to implement, we do need to ensure there is a standard process for this across the sector. There are some concerns for privacy and data protection which need to be addressed, and we need further clarity on the timescales that the contact information should be kept for, and how they are stored. We can’t have addresses stored on sheets of paper by the front door, or photographs of ID documents taken on phones, so I’ll be looking quickly into how this can be implemented safely for all concerned.”
“Our operators will be overwhelmed with keeping their businesses up and running and are not trained in contact tracing, so we need procedures and agreements finalised prior to 4 July on how businesses can work quickly and effectively with NHS contact tracers, as well as the implications for the business itself should a customer fall unwell.”
On capacity limits:
“While capacity limits will be frustrating, we must keep our calm and work together. The safety of staff and customers is paramount and we know that our sector will be the first to close if the R-rate increases. We need to ensure we are doing our bit to prevent that scenario. I’ll be working in Greater Manchester on a city region initiative whereby if one venue is overbooked, the information can be shared among the sector and bookings offered elsewhere, so we can ensure that customers can always enjoy their evenings and that we are supporting all operators – no matter how large or small.”
On nightclubs:
“While I’m pleased for the hospitality sector as a whole, I’m still clearly concerned about live music venues and nightclubs which have not been given the green light. We have an incredibly important live music scene in the UK, and in Manchester in particular, and the current measures do little to protect this small but critical industry. We need more information on when these specific venues are likely to be allowed to reopen so preparations can be made, and we must ensure that the financial aid continues past current deadlines to give them the same opportunities to recover as the rest of the sector.”
On licensing in Greater Manchester:
“All boroughs of Greater Manchester have been introducing measures to aid with social distancing, and prepare for the reopening of the hospitality sector. We have pedestrianised multiple streets, including the city centre and in Altrincham, to help operators serve food and drink outside, and I’m pleased that the Government has been reviewing licensing and permissions to enable applications to be approved faster. Greater Manchester’s hospitality sector employs over 414,000 staff and we will do all we can to support it, and those employed, through this crisis.”
