Links to National Guidance
Businesses Permitted to Re-Open 4th July
No. Seating will facilitate appropriate distancing that will prevent overcrowding and congestion.
Tables should be restricted to 6 persons from two households (maximum).
Outdoor seating is restricted to six people from any number of households.
Please refer to Question 2.
Venues are advised to assist (NHS Test and Trace) by keeping a temporary record of customers and visitors for 21 days. Customers should do this in order to help fight the virus and stay safe.
It is advised to book to secure your seating. Booking assists the business in planning and working safely within their capacity.
Refer to Question 2. You are advised to speak to the business to amend your booking in advance.
Yes. This is to the discretion of the business since the new controls are likely to require planning to maintain customer safety.
Contactless payments are encouraged where possible.
The service of drinks only is discretionary to the business. Some licensing conditions require the sale of alcohol to be in addition to the supply of food.
The 2m guidance relates to the distance between tables.
This may depend on each business circumstances. Such mitigation measures may include:
Further increasing the frequency of hand washing and surface cleaning
Keeping the activity time involved as short as possible
Using screens or barriers to separate persons from each other and workers from customers at points of service
Back-to-back or side-to-side (rather than face-to-face) positioning whenever possible
Maintaining one-way systems
The provision and maintenance of face coverings and visors
Designated pick up points for food and separate stations for clearing tables and dirty crockery
Licensed Off Sales’ FAQs
Yes, the necessary off-sales permission is being included on all licenced premises as part of the Business & Planning Bill. This will run alongside your existing premises licence and you should check the times and days permitted and review any conditions that might be relevant.
It is clear that the intention of the regulations was to discourage any sort of congregation on or near licensed premises. If there are breaches of the regulations or ASB then as above, the premises could be subject to enforcement.
Adequate social distancing measures should be put in place to protect staff and customers wishing to purchase or collect food or drink from your premises. Consider accepting only contactless payments and consider relevant government guidance.
It would be hoped that premises will take a common sense approach and would promote and encourage social responsibility of customers (as within the existing Licensing Act responsibilities), and it would not be expected that customers are asked to confirm where they intend to take the alcohol to. If however off sales are made in open containers it might be reasonable to consider where the customer is going to consume the alcohol.
Enforcement could be both under LA 2003 and the Coronavirus Regulations.
Yes they can be – it will depend on the specific circumstances at the time. While individuals have responsibility for their actions depending on the facts their behaviour could be linked to the premises.
While customers are attending to collect or order food or drinks best practice would suggest you have undertaken a risk assessment to consider the issues and in the same way you advertise under age sales policies you may wish to consider customer messaging as their behaviour could have a direct impact on the premises. You may wish to contact your local authority for advice and guidance.
