Safety at the Pubs when they Re-Open

So the government has finally given our inns the go-ahead to relaunch! But, as you would expect, this doesn't come without its conditions. There has been so much speculation around what it will actually be like when pubs let customers back in, so let’s look at the key facts that you need to be aware of.

Social Distancing Measures still apply.

a. You can go to a pub or restaurant with your immediate household, and along with one other household - there is no limit on the number from each household.

b. You can meet one household one day, and meet up with another the next - but not all at the same time.

c. If you’re meeting up with people not from your household, the max is six people in one group - and only outside.

d. The size (of the gap) matters! Advice - not terribly specific admittedly - says that you should still try and stay two meters away from anyone not in your household. The PM used the words ‘one metre plus’. So always aim for one metre distance as a minimum!

Lingering and chatting at the bar while ordering drinks will be a thing of the past - sadly!

a. Wherever possible, pubs will have to take all orders at the table in one way or another, and then deliver drinks to the table.

b. Many hostelries will be moving to an app or online platform for taking orders - although this may take some time to roll out efficiently to the majority of pubs. When it does, it will certainly help with hygiene, safety, and distancing.

c. You’ll probably have one staff member assigned to your table and they will take every order, deliver every drink, and clear every empty. We recommend being nice to them! 😉

d. While waiting at table, staff will also have to move around other areas of the premises as little as possible - so they may use radios, phones, emails etc to deliver orders to the bar or the kitchen. Of course, the less moving around and the less contact with the different people, the safer we’ll all be at our pubs.

Safety Guidelines

Expect to see signage, warnings, reminders, and floor markings everywhere! To be as compliant as possible, pubs and bars will make it as easy and as obvious as they can to help visitors stay aware and sticking to the rules. To help those long afternoons in the pub gardens run as smoothly as possible, it's going to be a good idea to do what is asked of us all, for all of our safety.

Sanitisation and Hygiene

a. We’re all used to using hand sanitiser frequently by now, and washing properly and frequently. It;s no surprise that pubs will expect you to do the same on their premises, so we’ll see more cleansing facilities and more reminders to use them.

b. Face masks and protective gloves - these are not legally required in pubs at the moment, but they are of course still a very good idea to keep you safe. Consider having them on hand for while you are moving through public areas of the pub, and for your way to and from the pub. Always better safe than sorry!


While these measures to keep us safe at the pubs mean they won’t look quite the same for the foreseeable future, at least their doors will be open! We’ll see you there....

If you are in the pub industry and want to know what PPE you need for reopening, you can get in touch and order supplies here: https://lddy.no/mzvi

If you are planning on visiting a pub soon and want to know what PPE you need for your visit, you can get in touch and order safety supplies here: https://lddy.no/mzv7