Pubs in Fleetwood prepare for reopening with new coronavirus rules

Fleetwood’s pubs are preparing to open up again after more than three months of closure due to the coronavirus - but they are having to adapt to some recommended changes.

The town’s hostelries are already making preparations for when they open their doors again.

There will be plastic screens at the bars to protect customers and bar staff, requirements to stay one metre apart, down from two metres, and hand gel for customers.

However, some Government suggestions might be more difficult if they have to be implemented.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says one consideration could be for drinkers at pubs and bars in England to leave their names and contact details in a guest book so they can be swiftly traced if they come into contact with a punter who tests positive for coronavirus.

Another suggestion was that punters could order their drinks with a phone app.

In Fleetwood, pub bosses are keen to adhere to basic safety guidelines but are not sure about all those suggestions, on which no firm decisions have been made at this point.

At the Royal Oak on Lord Street, known in the town as Dead ‘Uns, pub tenancy holder Linda Hardy said: “Phone apps could be expensive and I can’t see that working.

“But we are already preparing our perspex screens and our hand gel.

“I’m not sure how pubs can enforce the one metre rule, if people want to shake hands what do you do?

“How do you make sure that people go to the toilets one at a time?

“I don’t really think it is our place for us to police people.

“But we will have the screens and the hand gell.”

She added: “I’ve been here seven years and in the pub trade a lot longer and being closed for three months has been tough.

“People tell us they can’t wait for us to open -pubs are good at bringing people together and helping to combat loneliness.

“We’re hoping we can reopen by July 4.”

Down the road at The Kings, also on Lord Street, Yvonne Gibson says the pub will not be opening until the Government has been clear on all guidelines.

Yvonne, who has been based there for 11 years and runs the pub on behalf of Amber Taverns, said: “We are a pretty small pub so we have to be clear on where we stand.

“We will probably re-open in August rather than July 4, depending on how Amber Taverns reacts to the Government guidelines.

“We’ve got all our perspex screens ready, we may have a one-way system in place, one way in and another way out, as well as all the hand gels.

“It will probably be trial and error because nothing like this has ever happened before.”

Officials are understood to be looking at the guest book measure in order to fulfil the ambition of reopening the hospitality sector as early as July 4 and aid the NHS test and trace programme.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday that no decision on the guest books had been made but said it was being considered, as well as customers being encouraged to order drinks through apps.