Bars could require patrons to leave their contact details
Drinkers at pubs and bars may have to leave their names and contact details at the door under plans to reopen the hospitality sector next month. Officials are understood to be looking at the “guest book” measure so that customers’ contacts can be swiftly traced if they contract coronavirus.
Yesterday health secretary Matt Hancock said that no final decision has been made but refused to rule it out. However, he said it was one of the measures being considered, along with encouraging customers to order drinks through apps.
“That’s the sort of thing we’re looking at for how do you make it safe to open things,” he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
“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 backto back and there’s more transmission than side to side.”
Mr Hancock also said that he is “not going to rule out” hairdressers and barbers also being able to reopen on 4 July.
Boris Johnson is due to reveal the next stage in the relaxation of the coronavirus lockdown tomorrow. He will also announce the conclusions of a review into the two-metre social distancing rules ahead of the anticipated reopening of bars and restaurants from 4 July.
The prime minister is due to meet senior cabinet ministers at the daily Downing Street Covid-19 strategy committee to hear recommendations from experts. Mr Johnson will then set out the government’s position to MPs in the House of Commons tomorrow.
The two-metre rule will be relaxed to one metre amid widespread concerns about the damage caused to the hospitality sector if the restrictions continue in their present form.
It came as a group of independent scientists set up to mirror the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said it was “not safe” to relax the rule for indoor settings as the risk of transmission was still too high.