The Prime Minister has given the hospitality industry much-needed news today (June 23): two-metre social distancing rules will be relaxed to one metre from July 4, allowing pubs and restaurants to reopen from lockdown.
Firms in the sector have had little or no income since the government ordered sites to close in March, and they have been seeking reopening details, including any new health and safety measures needed.
A number of chief executives have spoken to the Evening Standard in recent weeks on why they felt social distancing rules needed to be relaxed.
Here is what some of the bosses and companies have said recently:
Young’s
The London pub group’s chief executive Patrick Dardis said: “Having a one metre guideline would allow us to open more pubs and employ more staff.”
Wahaca
Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca’s co-founder Mark Selby estimated that under the two-metre rule, businesses would need large sites, with extensive outside space and flexible rent terms available, to make reopening economically viable.
Pizza Express
A company spokesman said: “The optimal solution would be for social distancing to be reduced to one metre if it was safe to do so.”
Fuller’s
The pub company led by Simon Emeny, had urged the Government to consider using a one-metre guidance. It said: “This will allow us to open a much larger number of our pubs at the earliest opportunity.”
YO!Sushi
The dining chain’s boss Richard Hodgson said: “Two metres is excessive and beyond the guidelines elsewhere. We believe one metre is sufficient. Customers can choose to come in if they feel safe and choose not to if they don’t. We have stool covers that will be placed on either side of seated customers to stop anyone invading their space so they can dine in comfort and safety.”
