Customers
The NHS COVID-19 app can be downloaded on any smartphone. It has a feature that allows users to quickly and easily ‘check in’ to your venue by scanning the QR code with the camera on their smartphone. The information stays on the user’s phone.
Some venues are required to display a poster with the QR code. Other venues may choose to display it, even if they don’t have to.
A venue which is required to display the poster must provide an alternative facility for contact details to be left by anyone who is unable to use the QR code system. You will be asked for your name, contact number (if not applicable then email address, or lastly home address), date and time of visit including – where possible – departure time, and if you will interact with only one member of staff – the name of the assigned staff member.
Yes, in venues that are required to display the poster, the contact details of everyone in attendance must be provided as part of the mandatory requirement. If not using the NHS COVID-19 app, details of all parties can be provided by one lead member of the group or be given individually.
No, you will be refused entry to any hospitality venue.
By keeping a log of customers, staff and visitors, Test and Trace can use this information to get in touch with your venue if an outbreak has been identified. Customer logging will allow us to help break the chain of transmission and keep infection rates at bay. NHS Test and Trace is central to the Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. It aims to minimise the transmission of COVID-19, contain the spread of the disease and enable people to return to, and maintain, a more normal way of life.
In line with guidance issued by the government, businesses will keep your details for 21 days. They will only share them with NHS Test and Trace or the local authority, if asked, in the event of a potential outbreak linked to the venue. After 21 days the business should delete/destroy your details. It will not be used for marketing or other purposes.
The easiest way to be part of Test and Trace is to download the NHS COVID-19 app on your smartphone and scan the QR code at a venue on entry – your data will remain secure on your phone. If you choose not to use the NHS COVID-19 app, the venue should be able to supply you with information about how they will keep the data you supply secure. All businesses that take personal information must comply with relevant data protection law.
The easiest way to be part of Test and Trace is to download the NHS COVID-19 app on your smartphone and scan the QR code at a venue on entry. However, if you do not have access to a smartphone nd the venue is one that is required to display the poster, syou will instead be given the option of leaving your details with the businesses own manual trace and trace system.
If you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace, contact tracers will:
- call you from 0300 013 5000
- send you text messages from ‘NHStracing’
- ask you to sign into the NHS Test and Trace contact-tracing website
Local contact tracers may contact you from a different phone number or ask you to call them back. If you are unsure if the telephone number is genuine, check with your local council. More information can be found on your local council website.
Yes, venues are obliged to check each customer’s phone screen to ensure they have successfully checked in.
No, you do not need to leave contact information when you take food/product off site immediately.
No, delivery drivers whose visit is for the sole purpose of making a delivery or collection do not need to leave contact details.
Anyone under the age of 16 will not be asked to leave contact details. However, please be aware that a venue may ask for proof of age via identification if they have reason to suspect an individual is over 16.
We are strongly encouraging places of worship to maintain staff, customer and visitor logs and to display an official NHS QR code poster. However, places of worship, including when the venue is used for events and other community activities, are not included in these regulations.
No, this requirement does not apply to services that are designed to feed homeless people.
Food and Drink Venues
Contact details are required to support the national track and trace system designed to protect the public. If a member of staff or another customer in the venue at the same time as yourself is tested positive for COVID 19 it is essential for your safety that the NHS can contact you.
Employees are not required to wear face masks and gloves in bars or restaurants however, it is recommended best practice to do so and customers are advised to be aware that the risk of infection is increased if employees and customers do not implement recommended best practice i.e. face coverings, gloves, regular sanitising of hands, regular cleaning of surfaces.
It is a requirement and can be enforced, it is in place to protect the health of everyone. The 1 metre ‘plus’ means that social distancing can be reduced to 1 metre provided that there is a measure in place at the same time such as: face coverings, screens, not sitting face to face etc.
No. Seating will facilitate appropriate distancing that will prevent overcrowding and congestion.
Most premises will require a pre-booked table and offer table service, some premises may allow patrons to approach the bar to place an order but they MUST return to the table either with the order or to wait for the order to be served. Standing in premises to eat or drink is not permitted you are required to have a table and should provide your contact details.
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
Business
Use the following link to find out if your business can reopen and the measures you will need to take to make your business COVID Secure: Business reopening
Further information can be found below:
Read the latest guidance on businesses and venues that must remain closed to members of the public here.
See Fylde Council guidance on re-opening and adapting your business and managing Covid-19 risks.
The GOV.UK website has published the following guides to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic:
- GOV.UK – Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) – All 8 guides to help employers, employees and the self-employed
- GOV.UK – Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Factories, plants and warehouses
- GOV.UK – Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Offices and contact centres
- GOV.UK – Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery
- GOV.UK – Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Shops, branches, stores or similar environments.
The government will introduce a time limited permitted development right to allow the temporary change of use of a pub (A4 – drinking establishment) and a restaurant (A3 – restaurants and cafes) to a hot-food take away for a period of up to 12 months only.
Businesses will be required to tell the local planning authority when the new use begins and ends.
Yes, the council relies on income from business ratepayers to be able to provide vital services to the residents of the borough. However, businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will receive a payment holiday in the 2020 to 2021 tax year except for the following:
- Financial services (e.g. banks, building societies, cash points, bureaux de change, payday lenders, betting shops, pawn brokers), othershort-term loan providers)
- Medical services (e.g. estate agents, letting agents, employment agencies), medical services (e.g. vets, dentists, doctors, osteopaths, chiropractors), professional)
- Professional services (e.g. solicitors, accountants, insurance agents/ financial advisers, tutors), post)
- Post office sorting offices, casinos and gambling clubs, and properties that are not reasonably accessible to visiting members of the public
Business owners should look at the terms of their business insurance to understand if they are covered for communicable diseases or outbreaks.
Risk assessment templates and guidance are available via the Health and Safety Executive.
This is a difficult time for everyone and we would like to offer some crime prevention advice in making your premises as safe and secure as possible during these unprecedented times.
Alarms/CCTV
- Confirm that your intruder alarm is in working order and if you have a Level One monitored alarm please make sure that your Alarm Receiving Company has up to date contact details for key holders.
- Ensure that your CCTV cameras are working correctly and positioned so they are covering entrance/exits to and from your business. Expert advice on equipment, procedures, including Data Protection can be found at www.nactso.co.uk together with approved companies.
- Ensure your security measures are overtly promoted via signage such as “CCTV in Operation” or “24 Hour Surveillance”.
External Lighting
- Ensure external lighting is in working order and replace any bulbs that are not working.
- A good lighting scheme should provide uniformed lighting levels and should ideally work on a dusk to dawn circuit.
- External illumination when a building is unoccupied is recommended for entrance gates, main entrance and doors.
High Value Items
- Remove valuable items from view and store securely.
- Remove cash stored on the premises and leave empty cash drawers open.
- Consider window coverings that limit visibility to the inside of the business.
- Consider if you want to indicate that the business is closed. If you do you can consider a “no cash kept on the premises” sign.
Landscaping and Natural Surveillance
- Where possible keep trees and bushes pruned so they do not provide areas of concealment.
- Remove anything from around the building that could be used to gain entry and ensure bids are stored securely to prevent them being used as a climbing aid.
- If there are domestic properties near to your business or essential businesses that are staying open ask them to be aware of any suspicious activity and call the police either via 101 or if they think a crime is taking place to dial 999.
General
The government has set out its plan to return life to as near normal as we can, for as many people as we can, as quickly and fairly as possible to safeguard livelihoods, but in a way that is safe and continues to protect our NHS.
The government has published guidance on staying safe outside your home and guidance on social distancing rules. This page sets out key FAQs to help you prepare for these changes.
The police are responsible for monitoring and enforcing the social distancing policies and any incidents should be reported with as much detail as possible online using the form here.
Council officers do not have the powers to take enforcement action and issue fixed penalty notices for a breach of social distancing policy. The council supports and champions the STAY ALERT, CONTROL THE VIRUS, SAVE LIVES instruction and discourages any unnecessary journeys. Council officers who are still working in the local community are supporting the police by providing advice to offenders and reminding them of the policy as well as monitoring and reporting incidents. The council has a pro-active social media campaign designed to continually reinforce the STAY ALERT, CONTROL THE VIRUS, SAVE LIVES instruction supported by our partners in all other public services including the NHS and the police.
Fylde Council is resolute in continuing to deliver essential services to our residents and offer vital support to the most vulnerable in our community; thanks to a wealth of volunteers across all sectors of the Council, together we have redeployed staff and resources to meet our changing demands.
Our staff are going above and beyond to meet the unprecedented coronavirus challenge, offering flexibility in working arrangements and stepping up to help in essential services which include Waste Management, Community Support, Bereavement Services, Finance, Customer Services and many others. The Council has been able to utilise the existing skills and experience in our workforce, thanks to previous job shadowing exercises, to bolster our front-line capacity which has meant that we have been able to continue to deliver essential services and prioritise discretionary services, which includes the well-received continuation of all household waste and recycling collections.
All redeployed staff have undergone additional training specific to their new role, with appropriate risk assessments and management taking place. Working alongside existing teams, redeployed staff are helping to deliver the essential services our communities rely on.
We are endeavouring to minimise disruption to our wide-ranging discretionary services, however, instances of self-isolation and redeployment inevitably means some of the services we normally deliver with pride, are being forced to adjust their priorities. The Council is implementing innovative ways to mitigate service disruption in the community, examples of this include offering webcast funerals as well as partnering with local volunteer groups who, as ever, have been fantastic in their efforts to delivery community support.
In response to the COVID 19 pandemic the council has had to divert resources to priority essential services such as waste, finance, benefits, customer service, bereavement, emergency planning and communications, as well set up a new Community Hub to support the medically and socially vulnerable across the Borough. At the same time staff resource has been reduced as a result of the pandemic. This has meant that employees have had to be deployed to support different service areas, many of the grounds maintenance team have been supporting the waste service and food parcel deliveries from the Community Hub. This has meant that the grounds maintenance work that is essential will be done first and that functions like grass cutting will be done less frequently because the resource is deployed elsewhere, the council will still be cutting the grass, but it will not be as frequent and it may get longer and a little untidy between cuts.
The council is having to make difficult choices based on priority need during the COVID 19 pandemic, the primary objective is to support the STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES instruction, please accept our apologies if the changes during this period cause any inconvenience.
The council has commissioned the company we use to carry out two sprays this season, they will be starting the first spray in May. There was a requirement by the contractor to carry out new risk assessments as a result of the STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES instruction and the accompanying social distancing requirements along with regulations on the protection of employees during COVID 19. The weed spraying contract could not be accepted until the risk assessments had been carried out and approved. Please be assured the service will still be delivered.
Our outside spaces may look a little different this year without full seasonal displays and the usual incredibly high standards of cultivation that Fylde is well-known for, due in part to our Parks team working with a reduced capacity as a result of redeployment of staff to essential services, as well as self-isolation instances, which are ensuring the health and safety of our workforce and the public. The Parks team is now prioritising litter removal, safety inspections, clearing pathways, and maintaining patrols to keep these spaces safe for use by local residents to undertake their permitted daily exercise. We are confident with the hard work of our experienced teams, that most areas can be brought back to our normal high standards quickly, once we are safely through this challenging period.
Our play areas have reopened in all areas of the borough, except in Singleton. The decision as to when to reopen play areas in Singleton will be revisited at the end of July.
Scientific advice suggests that the COVID 19 virus can survive for up to several days on some hard surfaces, and while the risks are reduced when outdoors, you must stay alert. While all practical measures have been put in place, the user of any play area does so at their own risk.
Please follow the below rules when visiting any play area:
- Children under 14 years only unless otherwise stated. Follow age restrictions on each site – these will be signposted.
- 1 adult family member to accompany 1 child
- Please follow social distancing guidance and be mindful of other users
- Please use one-way system where possible
- Use of hand sanitiser gel or wipes is advised when using the equipment, please bring your own as there are no provisions on site
- When using equipment do not touch your face
- Consumption of food and drink within play areas is not permitted
- Please use bins provided or take litter home
Fairhaven to Church Scar
For Health & Safety reasons, a decision was made not to place the benches and bins directly on the promenade to avoid collisions between cyclists and seated pedestrians/bins.
The size of the indents was kept to a minimum to reduce the encroachment onto the Biological Heritage Site and to keep costs to a minimum. The locations of the bins will also encourage people to dispose of their litter, preventing it from being blown over the promenade and beach.
The reason that the bins are placed next to the benches in those locations is to allow wheelchair access on the other side of the bench. Under the Equality Act 2010 the Council has a duty not to discriminate against people in respect of their disability. Therefore we have allowed wheel chair access next to the bench
This section of the promenade has been designed as a shared pedestrian and cycle route, with the intent to restrict cyclist speeds.
We have placed signs stating ‘Considerate Cyclists are Welcome’ which also indicates pedestrians have a priority.
Patrols are carried out by the Rangers and the Parks Security Team. They are visiting the location and speaking with any cyclist they spot who appears to riding too fast/unsafe. The issue will be monitored over the next few weeks and especially with the forthcoming opening of Fairhaven.
The coastal defences at Granny’s Bay and Fairhaven Lake are of a stepped concrete revetment construction. Here the foreshore is accessible by visitors at low tide, with the addition of handrails at certain designated access points. Throughout the entire promenade, there are a number of warning/information signs along with life belts to assist in emergencies.
The new coastal defences at Church Scar is of a steep sloping concrete construction leading down to the beach where the salt marsh is expected to re-establish itself; thus has balustrade fencing to prevent access down onto the foreshore below. There are several access steps at intervals to allow access/egress in an emergency if required.
The areas here are the interface between general public open space and the Biological Heritage site. It will take a little time for these areas to naturally re-establish.
Lancashire County Council (the Highway Authority) was due to finish laying the new highway layout on Inner Promenade in May 2020 to coincide with the scheme opening.
Unfortunately, the highway works have been postponed until after the summer, so a new junction is now being designed and constructed in the interim.
Cemetery and Crematorium
Regulation 5 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 originally stated that: ‘A person who is responsible for a crematorium or burial ground must ensure that, during the emergency period, the crematorium is closed to members of the public, except for funerals or burials’.
In accordance with this original guidance and the fact that visiting graveyards or cemeteries was not listed as one of the reasons to leave your household under the STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES instruction. To support this, it was necessary to prevent access to the cemetery grounds to anyone not attending a funeral or burial, including those wishing to visit the grave of loved ones.
Lytham cemetery has an operational crematorium which is in greater demand during the COVID 19 pandemic and priority of access and safety for social distancing must be given to those who are attending funerals or burials approximately every half hour, it is essential to take extra care to prevent mourners “interacting” with other mourners arriving for the next funeral. Protection must also be afforded to the employees on site, restricting access to only those attending funerals and burials has been adopted by all operational sites. There are also restrictions on the number that can attend funerals and burials, to keep this number as high as possible it was necessary to prevent access for others.
If unlimited access had been allowed during funerals or burials employees would have no control over who or when persons enter the grounds and share the space allotted to mourners on the drive. Toilet facilities are in such a position that they would inevitably clash with the space of mourners permitted to attend services when using the facilities and significantly increase the chance of leaving infection inside. Allowing unfettered access to the grounds at Lytham whilst services are taking place would make service delivery more difficult and put at risk vulnerable people who are legitimately allowed to attend funeral services.
The regulations and guidance was reviewed by the government with updates provided on Wednesday April 22nd 2020. The guidance now states that the requirement to close a crematorium except for funerals and burials does not include a requirement to close a burial-ground and does not include a requirement to close the grounds surrounding the crematorium. It also now includes as one of the reasons for leaving the household – “to visit a burial-ground or garden of remembrance, to pay respects to a member of the persons household, a family member or friend“. In response to this guidance, access how now been made available to the cemetery from Saturday 25 April 2020 at 9.00am – 7.00pm and onwards each day.
The council appreciates that is a difficult time that requires difficult decisions over sensitive matters and offers sincere apologies to anyone who is inconvenienced by the arrangements in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
The regulations and guidance in respect to access to cemeteries was reviewed by the government with an update provided on Wednesday April 22nd 2020. The guidance now states that the requirement to close a crematorium except for funerals and burials does not include a requirement to close a burial-ground and does not include a requirement to close the grounds surrounding the crematorium. It also now includes as one of the reasons for leaving the household – “to visit a burial-ground or garden of remembrance, to pay respects to a member of the persons household, a family member or friend“. In response to this guidance, access how now been made available to the cemetery.
Parking will be permitted on the driveway for those visiting a grave from 5pm Friday 19th June until 7pm Sunday 21st June over Father’s Day weekend. Outside of these dates parking is restricted. The cemetery and memorials at Lytham Park are open from 9am to 7pm seven days a week. However, it is still necessary to put in place social distancing measures which include barriers and signage to separate those attending a funeral service and those visiting a grave or memorial.
One of the measures is to reserve the driveway for those attending a funeral service with each side of the driveway used alternately to separate mourners and employees attending different funerals when there is an overlap. Unfortunately, the volume of funeral services has increased to an extent that the chapel is operating seven days a week and funerals taking place every 30 minutes on many occasions as such the driveway is reserved to enable social distancing between the different groups of mourners. Residents visiting graves and memorials are asked to park outside the main gates and only take as much time is necessary to prevent too much disruption to households nearby.
Thank you for your support and co-operation. The council appreciates that is a difficult time that requires difficult decisions over sensitive matters and offers sincere apologies to anyone who is inconvenienced by the arrangements in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Taking into consideration the national guidelines the arrangements for cremations and burials at Lytham Park Cemetery are to allow no more than 10 mourners who should be CLOSE FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS and in exceptional circumstances FAMILY FRIENDS. The number has been determined by the access, layout, space and facilities available at Lytham Park Cemetery as well as taking into consideration the council and funeral undertakers’ employees.
The procedure for the conduct of funerals at Lytham Park Cemetery during the COVID 19 lockdown period is:
- Mourners and funeral service employees arrive and are asked to wait at the gates
- When the hearse arrives, the Funeral Director greets the mourners and checks that numbers are within the safe capacity of the chapel
- If there are any excess mourners the restrictions are outlined and it is explained that they cannot attend the service, but it is available to be viewed online at home
- The cortege enters the grounds, cars park on the drive, the family members enter the chapel
- At the end of the service the cortege exit as normal and return to their vehicles as expediently as possible
Extra care must be taken to ensure mourners do not “interact” with the mourners arriving for each funeral almost every half hour during the COVID 19 pandemic as a result of excess deaths. Services are alternately split on the driveway between left and right to keep mourners on opposite sides of the driveway preventing unnecessary contact. The funeral director will advise which side of the drive your cortege will be using.
It is the responsibility of vulnerable persons to identify themselves to others present in order to keep the required distance apart. The current toilet provision provides enough capacity to meet the new regulations with hand sanitisers provided by the funeral directors on the flower cart at the exit.
The council appreciates that is a difficult time that requires difficult decisions over sensitive matters and offers sincere apologies to anyone who is inconvenienced by the arrangements in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Families now have the option to share a live-stream video link so that friends and relatives can attend a service from the safety of their own homes during the coronavirus outbreak.
Please note this is a free service to try to assist those who cannot attend funeral services, and unfortunately, Fylde Council cannot guarantee the service or quality of stream on an individual’s device or connection. Technical support is not available, however we have provided some simple troubleshooting guidance at this link to assist all users.
We strongly advise anyone who wishes to attend virtually, tests the service ahead of time so that they can make any alternative arrangements should their device not support the service.
Alternatively, mourners in physical attendance are welcome to video the service via their own device and live-stream to their own social media channels, if they wish to.
We hope this service helps to offer some comfort during this challenging time.
Please visit this page to find out how to access the service.
Waste and Recycling
The refuse, recycling and green waste collection services are all operating as per normal in Fylde. If there is any change as a result of the COVID 19 measures or loss of resource due to illness this will be communicated to all households. It has only been possible to maintain normal operations because employees have been able to continue to attend work and other resources have been redeployed into the team. However, the demand for the service is also increasing with people rightly supporting the STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES instruction. You can help us keep the service operating the normal collections if you recycle more and reduce your general waste in the grey bin, the crews are not able to take additional side waste because the additional bag handling increases contamination risk, it isn’t easy with everyone at home but every little helps.
The council is having to make difficult choices based on priority need during the COVID 19 pandemic, the primary objective is to support the STAY ALERT, CONTROL THE VIRUS, SAVE LIVES instruction. Please accept our apologies if the changes during this period cause any inconvenience.
The crew members are not able to take additional waste even if it bagged next to the bins because of the additional contamination risk from handling bags. Waste contained in the bins prevents less risk and every effort is being made to reduce the risk so that the service can continue without disruption. It is difficult for the crew members and householders to manage waste effectively with the current household isolation. We would ask that you assist as mush as you can by maximizing the amount you can recycle and reducing the general waste that goes in your grey bin. Thank you for all your support on this.
The council is having to make difficult choices based on priority need during the COVID 19 pandemic, the primary objective is to support the STAY ALERT, CONTROL THE VIRUS, SAVE LIVES instruction, please accept our apologies if the changes during this period cause any inconvenience.
The latest information on the Lytham Recycling Centre can be found on the Lancashire County Council website here.
