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In a move that makes Freedom Day just that little bit more troublesome for bars, pubs and restaurants, the government has suggested that venues continue to use table service, despite the easing of restrictions on Monday July 19.
Originally, the message was that table service and mask-wearing would no longer be compulsory for establishments serving food and drink. This is obviously not such a big deal for restaurants, where bringing dishes to seated customers is the norm, but it has much greater implications for pubs, where most places require you just to stand in a big huddle at the bar waving a tenner about pathetically (or a Visa Platinum card if you’re especially sad).
Now, though, in an apparent U-turn, the government is recommending that all hospitality venues continue to use table service. Its ‘Hospitality Strategy’ has another ‘rule of three’ tagline; this time it’s ‘reopening, recovery, resilience’. As part of ‘reopening’, the document contains recommendations about staff sickness, poorly ventilated premises and more, as well as saying: ‘Venues are encouraged to continue displaying QR codes for customers wishing to check in using the NHS COVID-19 app, to support NHS Test and Trace, but this will no longer be a legal requirement.’
Furthermore, in recent guidance on ‘workplace safety’, No 10 has said that it encourages bar and pubs to continue with table service and for shoppers to still wear masks when out and about.
This has led to further calls for the authorities in the UK to be more consistent and transparent in their messaging, rather than making so much of it discretionary for either venues or customers. Some individual restaurants and chains have already set out their approach, with Shepherd Neame confirming that table service will remain across most of its pubs.
In better news, pavement and off-sales alcohol licences will continue to be made available to venues for the foreseeable future, so your alfresco Continental-style aperitivo and takeaway pints are here to stay.
What else does ‘Freedom Day’ mean for bars, pubs and restaurants in the capital?
Fell safer outside? Here’s one heck of a beer garden to go and hang out in.