Government Rules Covid 19
Restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services
Guidance for people who work in or run restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes or takeaways.Open allClose all
Applies to: England (see guidance for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland)
Please read the priority actions and full guidance below.
Priority actions to take – what businesses need to do to protect staff and customers
Introduction
How to use this guidance
What do we mean by ‘restaurant, pubs, bars and takeaway services’?
1. Thinking about risk
2. Keeping your customers and visitors safe
In this section
- 2.1 Keeping customers and visitors safe
- 2.2 Managing service of food and drink at a venue
- 2.3 Ventilation
- 2.4 Customer toilets
- 2.5 Providing and explaining available guidance
2.1 Keeping customers and visitors safe
Objective: To minimise the risk of transmission and protect the health of customers and visitors in restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway venues.
Continued opening up of the economy is reliant on NHS Test and Trace being used to minimise transmission of the virus. In order to ensure that businesses are able to remain open, we are now mandating that you ask one member of every party who visit your premises to provide their contact details to assist NHS Test and Trace. You must have a system in place to ensure that you can collect that information from your customers and visitors. Check what data you need to collect and how it should be managed.
Many businesses that take bookings already have systems for recording this information – including restaurants, hotels and pubs. These existing systems may be an effective means of collecting contact details, but if such a system is not in place, this will now be required in order to be compliant with the new regulations on NHS Test and Trace.
In addition, the hospitality sector will be required to ensure that anyone visiting pubs, restaurants and other venues provides their contact information before being allowed entry to the venue. Any business that is found not to be compliant with these regulations will be subject to financial penalties. It is vital that you comply with these regulations to help keep people safe, and to keep businesses open.
Businesses must also keep records of staff working patterns for a period of 21 days to assist NHS Test and Trace contain clusters or outbreaks. Find out more about how NHS Test and Trace works.
To prevent the spread of the virus, from 14 September there will be legal limits on how many people someone can spend time with in a social group at any one time. Whether indoors or outdoors people from different households must not meet in groups of larger than 6. This limit does not apply to meetings of a single household group or support bubble where it consists of more than 6 people.
Venues following COVID-19 secure guidelines can host more than 6 people in total, but no one should visit or socialise in a group of greater than 6. It is also important that people from different households or support bubbles meeting in a single group remain socially distanced. Find further information on social contact rules, social distancing and the exemptions that exist. These rules will not apply to workplaces or education settings, alongside other exemptions.
The number of people permitted to gather in indoor and outdoor spaces could vary with local restrictions. You should consult your local guidance for further clarification on the number of people permitted to gather. Read further information on local restrictions.
Businesses should not intentionally facilitate gatherings between a greater number of people than is permitted in their local area; and should take steps to ensure customer compliance with the limits on gatherings. These could include:
- informing customers of guidance through signage or notices at the point of booking or on arrival
- ensuring staff are familiar with the guidance, and if any local restrictions are in place
- asking customers for verbal confirmation of the number of people in their party at the point of arrival
Businesses that are found to operate in a way that increases the risk of transmission (for example by facilitating indoor gatherings between multiple households) can be closed by Local Authorities under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020.
Individual businesses or venues should consider the cumulative impact of many venues re-opening in a small area. This means working with local authorities, neighbouring businesses and travel operators to assess this risk and applying additional mitigations. These could include:
- further lowering capacity – even if it is possible to safely seat a number of people inside a venue, it may not be safe for them all to travel or enter that venue
- staggering entry times with other venues and taking steps to avoid queues building up in surrounding areas
- arranging one-way travel routes between transport hubs and venues
- advising patrons to avoid particular forms of transport or routes and to avoid crowded areas when in transit to the venue
Local authorities should avoid issuing licenses for events that could lead to larger gatherings forming and provide advice to businesses on how to manage events of this type. If appropriate, the government has powers under schedule 22 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 to close venues hosting large gatherings or prohibit certain events (or types of event) from taking place.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- Calculating the maximum number of customers that can reasonably follow social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable) at the venue. Taking into account total indoor and outdoor space, specific venue characteristics such as furniture as well as likely pinch points and busy areas.
- Reconfiguring indoor and outdoor seating and tables to maintain social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable) between customers of different households or support bubbles. For example, increasing the distance between tables.
- Working with your local authority or landlord to take into account the impact of your processes, including queues, on public spaces such as high streets and public car parks.
- Working with neighbouring businesses and local authorities to provide additional parking or facilities such as bike-racks, where possible, to help customers avoid using public transport.
- Reducing the need for customers to queue, but where this is unavoidable, discouraging customers from queuing indoors and using outside spaces for queueing where available and safe. For example, using some car parks and existing outdoor services areas, excluding disabled car parking bays.
- Managing outside queues to ensure they do not cause a risk to individuals, other businesses or additional security risks, for example by introducing queuing systems, having staff direct customers and protecting queues from traffic by routing them behind permanent physical structures such as street furniture, bike racks, bollards or putting up barriers.
- Providing clear guidance on social distancing and hygiene to people on arrival, for example, signage, visual aids and before arrival, such as by phone, on the website or by email.
- Managing the entry of customers, and the number of customers at a venue, so that all indoor customers are seated with appropriate distancing, and those outdoors have appropriately spaced seating or standing room. This is to ensure that the venue, including areas of congestion does not become overcrowded. Managing entry numbers can be done, for example, through reservation systems, social distancing markings, having customers queue at a safe distance for toilets or bringing payment machines to customers, where possible.
- Ensuring customers are compliant with rules on social contact. For example, inform customers of restrictions through signage or notices at the point of booking or on arrival, and ask customers for verbal confirmation of the number of people in their party at the point of arrival. Whether indoors or outdoors people from different households must not meet in groups of larger than 6. This limit does not apply to meetings of a single household group or support bubble where it consists of more than 6 people.
- Ensuring any changes to entrances, exits and queue management take into account reasonable adjustments for those who need them, including disabled customers. For example, maintaining pedestrian and parking access for disabled customers.
- Reminding customers who are accompanied by children that they are responsible for supervising them at all times and should follow social distancing guidelines.
- Keeping indoor and soft play areas closed. For guidance on opening outdoor playgrounds safely, see guidance for managing playgrounds published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
- Looking at how people move through the venue and how you could adjust this to reduce congestion and contact between customers, for example, queue management or one-way flow, where possible.
- Planning for maintaining social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable) in the event of adverse weather conditions, being clear that customers cannot seek shelter indoors unless social distancing can be maintained.
- Working with neighbouring businesses and local authorities to consider how to spread the number of people arriving throughout the day for example by staggering opening hours; this will help reduce demand on public transport at key times and avoid overcrowding.
- Determining if schedules for essential services and contractor visits can be revised to reduce interaction and overlap between people, for example, carrying out services at night.
2.2 Managing service of food and drink at a venue
Objective: To manage interactions at the venue resulting from service of food and drink.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- Maintaining social distancing (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable) from customers when taking orders from customers.
- Using social distance markings to remind customers to maintain social distancing (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable) between customers of different households or support bubbles.
- Minimising customer self service of food, cutlery and condiments to reduce risk of transmission. For example, providing cutlery and condiments only when food is served.
- Providing only disposable condiments or cleaning non- disposable condiment containers after each use.
- Reducing the number of surfaces touched by both staff and customers. For example, asking customers to remain at a table where possible, or to not lean on counters when collecting takeaways.
- Encouraging contactless payments where possible and adjusting location of card readers to social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable).
- Minimising contact between front of house workers and customers at points of service where appropriate. For example, using screens or tables at tills and counters to maintain social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable).
- Ensuring all outdoor areas, with particular regard to covered areas, have sufficient ventilation. For example, increasing the open sides of a covered area.
2.2.1 Takeaway or delivery
Objective: To manage interactions at the venue resulting from selling food and drinks for takeaway or delivery.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- See government guidance on food safety for food delivery.
- Encouraging customers to order online, on apps or over the telephone to reduce queues and stagger pick-up times.
- Minimising contact between kitchen workers and front of house workers, delivery drivers or riders, for example, by having zones from which delivery drivers can collect packaged food items.
- Limiting access to venues for people waiting for or collecting takeaways. Setting out clear demarcation for social distancing (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable) for delivery drivers, riders or customers queuing. Asking customers to wait outside or in their cars.
- Working with your local authority, landlord and neighbours to ensure designated waiting areas do not obstruct public spaces.
2.2.2 Service at the venue
Objective: To manage interactions at the venue resulting from service of food and drink in indoor and outdoor services areas.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- Encouraging use of contactless ordering from tables where available. For example, through an ordering app.
- Adjusting service approaches to minimise staff contact with customers. Indoor table service must be used where possible, alongside further measures such as assigning a single staff member per table. Outdoor table service should also be encouraged, although customers are permitted to stand outside if distanced appropriately. Where bar or counter service is unavoidable, preventing customers from remaining at the bar or counter after ordering.
- Adjusting processes to prevent customers from congregating at points of service. For example, having only staff collect and return empty glasses to the bar.
- Minimising contact between kitchen workers and front of house workers. For example, by having zones from which front of house staff can collect food.
- Encouraging use of outdoor areas for service where possible. For example, increasing outdoor seating or outdoor points of service such as stalls.
2.3 Ventilation
Objective: To use ventilation to mitigate the transmission risk of COVID-19.
Ventilation into the building should be optimised to ensure the maximum fresh air supply is provided to all areas of the facility wherever possible.
Ventilation systems should provide a good supply of fresh air.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- Increasing the existing ventilation rate by adjusting the fan speed.
- Operating the ventilation system when there are people in the building.
- Monitoring and managing filters in accordance to manufacturer instructions.
- Keeping doors and windows open if possible.
- Using ceiling fans to improve air circulation, provided there is good ventilation.
2.4 Customer toilets
Objective: To ensure that toilets are kept open and to ensure/promote good hygiene, social distancing, and cleanliness in toilet facilities. Public toilets, portable toilets and toilets inside premises should be kept open and carefully managed to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- Using signs and posters to build awareness of good handwashing technique, the need to increase handwashing frequency and to avoid touching your face, and to cough or sneeze into a tissue which is binned safely, or into your arm if a tissue is not available.
- Consider the use of social distancing marking in areas where queues normally form, and the adoption of a limited entry approach, with 1 in, 1 out (whilst avoiding the creation of additional bottlenecks).
- To enable good hand hygiene consider making hand sanitiser available on entry to toilets where safe and practical, and ensure suitable handwashing facilities including running water and liquid soap and suitable options for drying (either paper towels or hand dryers) are available.
- Setting clear use and cleaning guidance for toilets, with increased frequency of cleaning in line with usage. Use normal cleaning products, paying attention to frequently hand touched surfaces, and consider use of disposable cloths or paper roll to clean all hard surfaces.
- Keeping the facilities well ventilated, for example by fixing doors open where appropriate.
- Special care should be taken for cleaning of portable toilets and larger toilet blocks.
- Putting up a visible cleaning schedule can keep it up to date and visible.
- Providing more waste facilities and more frequent rubbish collection.
2.5 Providing and explaining available guidance
Objective:To make sure people understand what they need to do to maintain safety.
Steps that will usually be needed:
- Providing 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. Explaining to customers that failure to observe safety measures will result in service not being provided.
- Providing written or spoken communication of the latest guidelines to both workers and customers inside and outside the venue. You should display posters or information setting out how customers should behave at your venue to keep everyone safe. Consider the particular needs of those with protected characteristics, such as those who are hearing or visually impaired.
- Where necessary, informing customers that police and the local authorities have the powers to enforce requirements in relation to social distancing and may instruct customers to disperse, leave an area, issue a fixed penalty notice or take further enforcement action.
- Informing customers that they should be prepared to remove face coverings safely if asked to do so by police officers and staff for the purposes of identification.
- Encouraging workers to remind customers to follow social distancing advice and clean their hands regularly.
- Where visits to venues are required, for example, inbound supplier deliveries or safety critical visitors, providing site guidance on social distancing and hygiene on or before arrival.
- Ensuring information provided to customers and visitors, such as advice on the location or size of queues, does not compromise their safety.