Positive staff test at Greggs
A Greggs staff member based in Sunderland has tested positive for coronavirus.
The popular bakery chain has confirmed that one member of staff based at the Grindon branch on Springwell Road is currently self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 on February 19.
The company said the employee immediately began a 10 day period of isolation after testing positive and confirmed that the Grindon branch has undergone a deep clean.
Greggs stressed that it has a number of Covid-19 safety measures in place to protect staff and customers, including a full deep clean each day.
A Greggs spokesman said: “There was a confirmed case of Covid-19 at the Grindon branch in Sunderland.”
Sunderland’s restaurateurs say they can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel after the Government gave them a date to welcome diners for sit-in custom once more.
Restaurants in the North East have not been able to open for sit-in dining since before the second lockdown on November 5 after being placed into Tier 3 when that lockdown eased.
Only being able to offer deliveries in December, hospitality’s most profitable month, capped off a crushing year for the sector. But finally, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing the Government’s roadmap for leading the country out of the third lockdown, the food and drink industry has been given a date as to when some level of normality can resume.
From May 17, pubs, restaurants, hotels and B&B’s among others, can open indoors, subject to the rule of six or meeting of two households.
Speaking about being given the time to prepare for a reopening, Ian Wong from Asiana Fusion, one of the city centre’s longestrunning restaurants, said: “Finally, a true light at the end of the tunnel! It’s been a very horrible and emotional 12 months.
"As a business owner, and like many others, I feel I am reaching the end of the line with how much longer we can survive,
monetarily and mentally.
"The news is very welcoming, however, like the Government say, it is early days and I would much rather tread carefully than have to go into a fourth Lockdown.”
Ian says he hopes people will adhere to restrictions until such time they are lifted.
"I just pray that people behave and the infection as well as the numbers of hospitalisation do not increase, especially in the
North East,” he said. "On the flip side, as much as the news is welcomed and I really can’t wait to get opened properly again.
"Tthere is also a feeling of anxiety, having not done it for so long and the thought of having to put everything in place before opening is a little daunting.
"Fingers crossed this is the final high hurdle and we can slowly begin getting back to normal.”
Neil Bassett is at the
helm of a pub, The Ship Isis in Silksworth Row, as well as a restaurant, Mexico 70 in High Street West.
He says it helps that Covid-secure measures are already in place at both sites.
“We’re ready and excited to get both Mexico 70 and The Ship Isis open again and we’re currently making plans for both sites,” he said. "Both places are covid ready and safe from the last time we were open and we know what to expect, so it will be a smooth re-opening.”
In the meantime, The Ship Isis is delivering draught beer every weekend, while Mexico 70 is doing deliveries of dishes such as Asian fried chicken and flatbread kebabs.
Initial structural work has also begun on a new venture for the Mexico 70 team who are transforming a former storage shelter in Seaburn into a seafood restaurant due to open this summer.
Business owners in Washington have begun making plans to reopen in the spring after welcoming the Government’s roadmap for lifting covid restrictions as ‘a step in the right direction’.
Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on Monday evening of a ‘cautious’ reopening in stages, giving hope to businesses across the country for reopening on April 12.
As well as announcing the potential reopening of retail, leisure, hair and beauty and outdoor hospitality on April 12, the PM went on to state that a there could be a full reopening for the hospitality industry by May 17 at the earliest – and a possible end to all social distancing measures by June 21 as the country looks to return to some kind of normality following the three national lockdowns.
The road out of the latest lockdown will take place over four months and dates will be dependent on four tests – vaccine deployment, evidence the vaccine is successful, low infection rates and assessments of new variants.
The news has been welcomed by a number of hospitality businesses in Washington, who are ready and waiting to welcome customers back after months of being closed.
Kayleigh Hankinson, pictured, the owner of Olivia’s Coffee House, said: “We’re going to have to decide what’s best for us and see if we should serve from outside or wait for a full reopening – but we are really happy that we now have a set date to look forward to and get ready for.
"It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”