Letter to Hospitality Businesses from Dr Rupert Suckling

Dear Business Owner,

Following the government announcement regarding the four-week delay in the roadmap out of lockdown, I wanted to take this opportunity to write to hospitality venues in the borough.

While it is welcome news that some elements of hospitality, such as weddings and wakes with more than 30 guests, will be able to take place from Monday 21 June, I understand that this latest delay will be frustrating, especially after what has been an incredibly difficult time for the sector.

However, it is important to note the latest government guidance, which means:

• All food and drink must continue to be ordered, served and consumed by the customer while seated at a table
• Six people/two households are allowed to meet indoors
• Groups of 30 people are allowed to meet outdoors
• Significant life events, with the exception of weddings, wakes and funerals, can be attended by a maximum of 30 people
• Hotels and business conference centres can hold events
• Travel and overnight stays within Britain are able to take place
• Social distancing measures must remain in place

Further details about the changes to restrictions can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

Once again, I appreciate that some of these measures will cause frustration for you and your customers but, unfortunately the ongoing pandemic means precautions do need to be put in place to make sure everyone stays safe and well, and the risk of spreading Covid-19 is minimised.

Therefore, I would urge you to continue to encourage appropriate behaviour and to manage the risks at your venue wherever possible, including:

• Carrying out a full risk assessment prior to any event you host to identify potential transmission points. All third-party suppliers should do this, too.
• Asking customers to not visit your venue if they are feeling unwell, and to follow the guidance around getting tested 
• When hosting an event, such as a christening or wake, consider encouraging the customer to ask their guests to take an LFT test prior to attending
• Ensuring hand sanitisation facilities are available throughout the venue and encouraging frequent use
• Ensuring places where people are gathering are as well ventilated as possible, opening windows and doors to allow a sufficient flow of fresh air

Once again, I understand that the continuation of government restrictions will be frustrating for you, as well as for your customers.

I would like to thank you personally for your patience and cooperation during this time, as well as everything you are doing to help us keep rates as low as possible here in Doncaster. It is very much appreciated.

By balancing the risks and taking measures to reduce transmission as much as possible, we can hopefully get the roadmap back on track and see restrictions lifted in full, sooner rather than later.

Thank you again for everything you are doing. Let’s keep going, and Do it for Doncaster.

Kind regards,

Dr Rupert Suckling
Director of Public Health