Wetherspoon Shares How It Plans To Reopen Its Pubs Again Safely

While most of us sit around dreaming of that first sip of cold draught beer on a warm day, pubs are preparing to throw open their doors again - including Wetherspoon pubs. Here's a quick look at the steps the chain is taking to ensure its pubs will be able to reopen safely in the age of social distancing:

As you can see from the video above, The Mossy Well in London's Muswell Hill opened its doors for a preview of what's happening.

First off, staff have started printing off disposable menus to ensure that no cross contamination occurs between diners.

Obviously, they've also put up screens around points of sale and between tables, but they've also added in floor markings and signs encouraging people to queue at a safe distance.

Tables that don't have a screen have been spaced out in order to maintain the two metre gap.

This is all an exhibition to show that the pubs are capable of opening once again, and in a way that isn't a danger to public health.

That would raise the public's morale, wouldn't it?

Other measures that Wetherspoon will roll out across the 875 locations it hopes to reopen include stickers on tables, reminding people not to move them, and asking people to pay via the Wetherspoon app so that drinks can be brought straight to them.

However, if that's not your thing, or not possible, they'll still take cash at the tills. Oh, and there'll be hand sanitiser provided on the walls for both staff and customers.

Wetherspoon representative Eddie Gershon told The Sun : "We do have the advantage of our pubs tending to be on average 4,000 square foot in customer space and 75 per cent of our pubs have beer gardens, roof terraces or outside areas.

"We appreciate that our pubs will have to have less people in line with how many we are allowed to have here but because they are slightly larger we probably aren't as badly hit as others are."

Mr Gershon confirmed that the pubs that reopen will with then same opening hours, but will have a reduced menu due to the new measures in place.

He continued: "We are also issuing all bar and kitchen staff with PPE.

"The government has not said whether they have to wear them so we've bought the millions of equipment and that's part of the initial £11 million investment.

"We will wait for government guidelines on whether staff have to use it or they can choose to wear it - but it will be there as and when pubs open."

Of course, all of this hinges on - as Gershon added - 'people being sensible as well'.

If the government's plans go without a hitch, the earliest we could see pubs reopening is 4 July.

Featured Image Credit: The Sun

Topics: UK News, Interesting, Food And Drink

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

@TPWagwim