Hospitality Industry: Social Distancing

(asked on 9th June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when pubs, bars and restaurants reopen following covid-19 lockdown measures what (a) enforcement measures and (b) penalties will be in place if those venues fail to enforce social distancing.


Answered by
Paul Scully Portrait
Paul Scully
This question was answered on 15th June 2020

We are working at pace to develop safe ways for pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen at the earliest opportunity it is safe to do so, through our pubs and restaurants taskforce. As set out in the roadmap, it is our ambition to reopen pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants from 4 July at the earliest, subject to the scientific advice at the time. However, pubs, restaurants and cafes can continue to offer takeaway-enabled services as they have been during lockdown.

Our guidance forms part of employers’ normal health and safety practice. Health and safety legislation is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and by local authorities. Social distancing is a key part of our scientific advice. This will be considered by employers as part of their risk assessment.

If the enforcing authority finds that an employer is not taking action to properly manage workplace risk, a range of actions are is open to them, including specific advice or issuing enforcement notices.

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