Government publishes restaurant reopening guidance

The Government has issued comprehensive guidance to help fish and chip restaurants open safely from 4th July.

The recommendations include reconfiguring indoor and outdoor seating and tables to maintain social distancing, providing cutlery and condiments only when food is served, and using either disposable condiments or cleaning non-disposable condiment containers after each use. Menus can be disposable, single-use or laminated and cleaned between sittings.

To reduce the number of surfaces touched by both staff and customers, restaurants are encouraged to dedicate one member of staff per table and ask customers to order contactless at their table, for example via an app. Payment should also be contactless where possible and the location of card readers adjusted to social distancing guidelines.

Toilets should be cleaned more frequently and with disposable cloths or paper roll while a visible, up-to-date cleaning schedule should be displayed and more frequent rubbish collection put in place.

Restaurants are also advised to provide clear guidance on expected customer behaviours, social distancing and hygiene to people on or before arrival, for example on online booking forms and on-site signage and visual aids.

The guidance covers a host of areas such as arriving and leaving work, food preparation areas, staff meetings, cleaning, managing shift patterns and training.

Click here to view the guidance in full.

Restaurants are reminded that they must carry out a covid-19 risk assessment before reopening and take steps to manage any risks. A Staying Covid-19 Safe in 2020 certificate should then be downloaded and put on display.