UK bars and pubs reopening on Super Saturday July 4th: schedule, opening times, conditions
Tomorrow, Saturday 4 July, pubs and bars will be able to reopen for the first time since lockdown restrictions were introduced on 23 March.
Around half of England’s 28,000 pubs are preparing to reopen tomorrow, 4th July when some of the lockdown restrictions put in place at the start of the coronavirus outbreak are lifted. Pubs and bars will be allowed to trade – but not quite as before. For customers, there will be greater emphasis on hygiene and social distancing and for licensees, there will also be extra paperwork – track and trace information to keep a temporary record of all visitors.
The UK’s pubs and bars, which were ordered to close on 23 March, will be able to open for business from 6 a.m. BST (07:00 hours CEST) on Saturday 4 July, 'Super Saturday' - after which, normal licensing rules will apply. Pubs which have a licensing extension will be able to remain open until after 11 p.m. until license closing time.
Social distancing and sanitiser
Customers will be asked to observe social distancing rules, which will be halved from 2 metres to a minimum of one metre as from Saturday. The public is still required to social distance from those who they do not live with. Social interactions are limited to a group of six people from different households. Meanwhile, outdoors, for example in a pub beer garden a maximum of 30 people will be allowed to gather. Entry times will be staggered to avoid attracting large groups.
To combat new outbreaks of coronavirus infection, landlords/landladies will be required to keep a temporary record of staff, customers and visitors for 21 days to assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for that data if needed. Government guidance suggests staff should wear face coverings and take other precautions such as providing hand sanitiser and putting one-way systems in place to keep customers safe.
Loud music and performances are not allowed – this measure is to prevent customers from having to raise their voice to communicate, which can increase the chance of viral transmission.
Other changes include:
- The use of table service where possible instead of ordering at the bar and assigning a single staff member per table
- Encouraging use of contactless ordering from tables where available, such as through an app
- Encouraging customers to use hand sanitiser or handwashing facilities as they enter the venue
- Providing clear guidance on social distancing and hygiene as people arrive on the premises, with signage and visual aids.
As for the rest of the UK, Northern Ireland pubs opened on Friday; in Scotland, pubs with outdoor space will be able to reopen on Monday 6 July but. No date has yet been set for pubs to reopen in Wales.