Pub customers may have to hand over their contact details

BARS and restaurants collecting the names and contact details of customers when they reopen is “very firmly” being considered for Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The first minister said the proposal would enable people to be swiftly contact-traced if someone tests positive for coronavirus and is an idea that has “a lot of merit”.

The hospitality sector was unable to reopen at the start of phase two of lockdown easing, with Ms Sturgeon citing “very strong emerging evidence” that pubs and restaurants could be sites of coronavirus “super spreading”.

The first minister announced last week that she has commissioned further scientific advice about how to reopen bars and restaurants safely, and yesterday she said the idea of collecting contact details was “under consideration”.

Asked about the possi bi l i t y of dri nkers providing their details, which is also being considered by the UK Government, Ms Sturgeon said: “Yes, I think that is something that may very well be necessary.

“I don’t want to preempt the advice that I’ve asked for around physical distancing but if we think about how Test and Protect works and the importance of contact tracing, then I think in particular environments and settings the ability to have the contact details of people in order to quickly track them is certainly something that has a lot of merit.

“Obviously we will publish guidance more generally ahead of different sectors reopening but I would say very firmly at this stage that that is something that is under consideration.”

Ms Sturgeon has previously said she hopes to have the further evidence by July 2, when she will make a decision about whether pubs can open beer gardens.