Shoppers and customers urged to stay safe as hospitality venues re-open

Birmingham’s Director of Public Health has advised people ensure that they keep safe if they plan on visiting hospitality venues that are re-opening from 4 July 2020.

With a number of shoppers and customers expected to travel into Birmingham and its suburbs, Birmingham City Council is reminding people they still need to comply with safety advice to avoid the risk of a second peak of the virus.

This weekend the hospitality industry will welcome its first customers since lockdown commenced in March, subject to meeting the Government’s Covid-19 secure safety guidance.

Dr Justin Varney, Director of Public Health at Birmingham City Council, said: “With non-essential retail already up and running and the hospitality industry preparing to reopen its doors, it feels like things are changing but we must remember Covid-19 is still a risk.

The virus is still present and is still a threat and we must continue to keep up social distancing, handwashing and wearing a mask when going into smaller buildings in order to keep it under control.

“We have seen elsewhere what happens when social distancing is ignored, and we need to learn from that and avoid a second peak or local lockdown. We don’t want to stop people supporting the economy; we just want them to do it in a safe and secure way.”

From 4 July, people should still maintain a two-metre social distance at all times, wherever possible. The exception to this is in environments such as restaurants and pubs where this cannot be maintained and therefore, will be lowered to one metre plus in conjunction with additional mitigations.

People should still only mix with one other household at a time, with no more than a total of six people when socialising indoors. Outside, more than six people can mix together at once, but should still only be a combination of only two households.

If using public transport, people must wear a face mask or covering and this is also recommended when going into small buildings, and when moving around Birmingham. People are also advised to keep to the left and follow any directional markings.

When visiting hospitality industries or shops, customers should follow local guidance. In pubs, restaurants and cafes this is likely to include using table service, ordering via apps and using contactless payments.

Dr Varney added: “Whilst it may feel like life is normal life is returning, it comes with the caveat that normality comes with responsibility. We have all waited a long time for pubs, restaurants and cafes to return and we want to ensure that the doors don’t close as quickly as they have reopened.

“It’s important to balance support for the economy with support for the health of ourselves and others. Coming out of lockdown is a marathon, not a sprint, so please enjoy the weekend whilst remaining mindful of the repercussions.”

Government advice for businesses and customers can be found by searching the website at www.gov.uk/coronavirus