The City Pub Group on Tuesday outlined measures it will implement to get beer gardens ready for reopening, with outside cashless bars and limited menus on the way.
Executive chairman Clive Watson said the company, which runs 47 pubs, many of which are in London and have outdoor seating, has drawn up a number of plans to start trading as soon as the Prime Minister gives the green light. Most pubs shut in March when the lockdown came in.
The government has said the earliest the industry can reopen is from July 4, and there is speculation those with outdoor space may be among the first to start pulling pints. Parts of the industry thinks it would be easier to have social distancing in outdoors space.
Watson said the City Pub Group will initially look to keep customers outside, and they and employees will be socially distanced.
A temporary bar will be set up in beer gardens or terraces, staff will take orders there using contactless payments, go inside to get orders, and customers will get them from an outside collection point.
Plastic glasses, paper plates and wooden cutlery will be used. They can be recycled and used instead of tableware that although washed, has been used by others previously.
Tables will be spaced out to comply with social distancing guidelines, and a smaller food and drinks menu will be available to make orders quicker and simpler. On top of that staff will wear gloves and masks.
Watson said customers will be encouraged to pre book and pre order food and drinks to avoid queues and to speed up service.
Watson told the Evening Standard: “As pubs start to reopen it’s important that this is done with the safety of staff and customers being of paramount importance. We will only open pubs where we can guarantee this safety.”
He added: “Pubs are an important part of our everyday lives. By being responsible when we reopen we can hopefully get back to some kind of normality as quickly as possible."
Pubs giant JD Wetherspoon last week said it has put together reopening plans. Among the measures are drinkers sanitising their hands on arrival and following one-way systems to get to the bar.
