Published Friday 12 March 2021 at 12:10
Blackburn with Darwen Council is working with hospitality venues to make sure their workplaces are Covid-secure ahead of reopening.
As part of step two of the Prime Minister’s four-step ‘Roadmap to Recovery’, pubs, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers outdoors. This could happen as early as 12 April.
Ahead of these changes, Blackburn with Darwen Council staff are working with businesses to take the necessary preparations – which includes issuing licences for new outdoor spaces, including pavements and public highways where it’s safe to do so.
The Council is keen for hospitality businesses to be able to open and become places where we can all enjoy meeting up with friends with minimum restrictions – but say we must all work together to ensure this is done safely, and with caution.
Councillor Phil Riley, Executive Member for Regeneration, said:
COVID has had a terrible impact on all our businesses. We are trying to be as flexible as possible and will continue to work with them throughout the roadmap and beyond to minimise risk.
However, we also want to reassure customers that if businesses aren’t working within the rules, we will do something about it.
I also urge everyone to continue doing the basics, follow the rules, and let’s start the journey to better days.
Denise Andrews, Business Compliance and Licensing Manager at the Council, said different businesses need different levels of support.
We are doing lots of work behind the scenes it to make sure places are Covid secure. Our advice to businesses is to plan well in advance and make sure you have adequate measures in place before you reopen.
Not only do we need to ensure that businesses have a safe environment for staff and customers, they also need to know what to do if there is appositive case of COVID-19 within their workforce.
Hospitality venues that want to make use of additional outdoor space, need to plan ahead and contact the Council. A fast-track system is in place, but a short consultation period is still required and permissions could take a couple of weeks.
To find out more about outdoor licencing, contact the licensing team on licensingteam@blackburn.gov.uk. To be in time for 12 April, applications should be received by Friday 26 March 2021.
The workplace resource pack, outlining what to do if you have covid cases in your workforce, is available here: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/covid-19-resource-pack-for-workplaces/