More businesses warned over breaching coronavirus safety rules
OFFICIALS have caught three more businesses in Bridgend breaching coronavirus rules after staff members were found not wearing masks.
Officers from the Shared Regulatory Service (SRS) warned a chemist, restaurant and kebab house they could be closed if staff did not follow government guidelines.
Enforcement officers visited MW Phillips Chemists in Nolton Street, Bridgend on Wednesday December 9, and found staff were working closely without wearing face masks. Officers lifted the notice on Friday, December 11 after the business was found to be complying with the rules.
According to a report by officers, the company’s head office had told staff they did not need to wear masks behind the counter.
Jaswant Jeers, deputy superintendent for MW Phillips, said it was not true that the head office told staff it was OK for them not to wear face masks behind the counter.
He said staff working upstairs away from customers or in isolation at the Bridgend store “don’t have to” wear masks or PPE but they “must wear PPE” in all public areas.
Mr Jeers added that some of the company’s staff have health conditions which make them exempt from wearing masks but he could not confirm whether this includes staff at the Bridgend store.
He said the MW Phillips chain is “very covid friendly” and screens have been istalled in their stores as well as notices in windows and floor markings.
“We’ve insisted that all of our staff must continue to wear PPE at all times. If someone didn’t wear it at that moment in time we would apologise but we’ve given further instructions again to everyone of our store staff to wear PPE at all times.”
On Saturday, December 12, officers found up to six members of staff at pizza takeaway and kebab house Marmaris Kebab were “all working closely without masks”.
They said staff at the takeaway on Wyndham Street, Bridgend were “reasonably negative towards enforcement and dismissive of regulations”.
On the same day, officers found kitchen staff at The Greedy Pig (New Road, Porthcawl) were “working in close proximity” without face masks. They noted the manger was “compliant and very understanding” when given the improvement notice. All three businesses were issued improvement notices and given 48 hours to comply with the rules.
The Greedy Pig coowner Scott Gander said he had “mixed feelings” about the restaurant being told to improve.
He said kitchen staff were wearing masks but not over their mouths at the time when enforcement officers visited the premises because the heat in the kitchen “makes it uncomfortable for the chefs”.
He added: “We’ve done everything by the book according to track and trace, hand sanitizer everywhere and we are currently only operating as a delivery and takeaway business anyway.
“But rules are rules and at that moment in time we were caught short so rightly so we were issued the warning. We will endeavour to keep our faces fully covered in future no matter what the temperature in the kitchen.
“I don’t doubt upon the next visit on Friday we’ll be ok and the warning will be lifted.”
Businesses can be closed if they fail to comply with the terms of an improvement notice. They can also be given a fixed penalty notice or taken to court.
The SRS, a partnership between South Wales Police and Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Councils, carries out checks on licensed premises to ensure they comply with government guidelines.
SRS officers have issued 20 improvement notices to businesses in Bridgend County Borough and temporarily closed three for breaching Welsh Government coronavirus rules.
They have issued 77 improvement notices to businesses across South Wales so far, with the majority consisting of pubs, restaurants, cafes and takeaways.