The reopening of pubs and restaurants by Headline Printers in Havant

The opening of pubs, restaurants and hospitality this week has long been anticipated. This means venues are permitted under the next stage of the governments roadmap out of lockdown to offer indoor dining for groups of six people or two households. The thought of being guided to your seats, opening a menu and ordering an aperitif whilst perusing what you will treat your tastebuds is a precious thought soon to be a reality. Or better yet a cold beer in a pub with your mates watching the results come in, something we probably took for granted in the past.

Guidance stays in place

As businesses the hospitality industry has arguably been harder hit than anyone else under the Covid restrictions. It won’t be business as usual as drinkers and diners have to comply with the test and trace rules. Now all customers must check in under new regulations to allow the NHS to contact anyone who may have had contact with an infected person. To be honest most of us would turn up all wearing pink hats and feather boas if that was what it took to see family and friends!

Social distancing still in force

Remember when you would squeeze past other diners to get to your tightly packed in table? Well no more as social distancing stays in places reducing the amount of covers and impacting the profitability of restaurants. It’s not just less diners, there have been costs for pubs and restaurants in respect of dividers so it will be a battle for many of the smaller venues to remain viable. That said, the hospitality industry has got creative in finding outside covered space to spread diners out. They say that in times of crisis, people stretch themselves and innovate and that has certainly been true during the pandemic.

Pubs

We can’t expect business as usual here either as there won’t be any leaning at the bar with our friends putting the world to rights. It’s table service here too, social distancing and one way systems whenever possible. Once again this will impact profitability and put pressure on staff having to bring drinks to punters. There are still many challenges ahead and it will be a long time before we’ll be slapping mates on the back at the bar but for now you can see friends and enjoy a cold pint so we’ll take that.

The new normal

So yes it is positive news and a lessening of restrictions but we still have to be cautious and follow scientific guidance. We know that when the pubs and restaurants opened last summer they had to employ new signage and clearly indicated one way systems. That’s where we come in. Whatever it is you need to get your business up and running safely we’ve got you covered. From sanitiser, perspex dividers, A boards, vinyl floor tape or just get the lot in our We Are Open Bundle.