Will you need to register before drinking in a pub?
PUB-GOERS may be asked to register before having a drink at their local under plans to limit the spread of coronavirus, Matt Hancock said yesterday.
The Health Secretary said ministers were looking at the possibility of asking bars and restaurants to keep a record of everyone who visits, including their mobile phone numbers.
The idea has been used in New Zealand where venues hold a register of everyone they serve each day. If someone falls ill with coronavirus, the list is then used to help with contact-tracing.
When he appeared on Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme yesterday, Mr Hancock was asked whether the UK was looking at introducing a similar system, or if pubs could be asked to encourage customers to order drinks through apps rather than at the bar.
He replied: ‘That’s the sort of thing we’re looking at for how do you make it safe to open things. And things like wearing a face mask which reduces the transmission clearly, about how the seating is arranged because face-to-face is much more dangerous than back-to-back and there’s more transmission than side-to-side.
‘And also the sorts of things you can put in place to strengthen test and trace,
because the whole approach is to move as much as safely possible from a national lockdown towards targeted local action when we see an outbreak.’
Pressed on registering before visiting a pub, he said: ‘I wouldn’t rule that out. It isn’t a decision we’ve taken yet, but there are other countries in the world that take that approach.’
Bars and restaurants are expected to be allowed to resume more normal trading from July 4 as the hospitality sector reopens. Many pubs and bars are already taking advantage of lockdown rules that allow them to sell takeaway food and drinks, and as the sun shone yesterday drinkers were out in force. Ministers are expected to publish guidelines this week on what measures venues can take to operate safely. In restaurants, waiters will be told not to lay tables until diners are seated, with napkins and cutlery brought out only with food. Menus will have to be thrown out after being used once. Selfservice buffets will be banned and waiters will be expected to wash their hands between serving different tables. Hotel guests will be encouraged to use room service rather than dining in restaurants, with food left on trays in corridors. If guests become ill they will be asked to either go home or selfisolate in their rooms.