Reopening your business
Is your business ready to reopen? Make sure you familiarise yourself with government guidelines to help keep your customers and employees safe.
Restrictions are easing across the UK
Step 3 of the roadmap out of lockdown has begun.
Some indoor locations can re-open.
You can meet with other people:
• Indoors: either in a group of 6 (from any number
of households), or in a group of any size from up to 2 households
• Outdoors: in groups of no more than 30
(prior to this date you must only meet in groups of six or
two households)
It is important that businesses prepare for each step of the plan to ensure they are ready to re-open safely when permitted to do so.
Prime Minister sets out roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions
Reopening and operating your business safely during Covid-19
You MUST complete a risk assessment and make sensible adjustments to the site and workforce before reopening.
Government guide on working safely during coronavirus
Guidance
Please familiarise yourself with the government guidance.
Reopening businesses and venues in England
COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021 (Summary)
Find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure
Coronavirus Roadmap Guidance - Hospitality Sector
News story: Legionella warning as businesses prepare for life after lockdown
Working safely: hospitality services
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has updated the working safely guidance for hospitality services.
The updated guidance, which is relevant to restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes and takeaways in England, now includes information on managing customer payments.
The guidance clarifies that, at venues serving alcohol, payment should be taken at the table or at another outdoor location. If it’s not possible to take payment outdoors, for example due to a technical issue, payment can be taken indoors as a last resort.
Reopening resources
If you have trouble downloading them or require physical or translated copies please email: capa.admin@dudley.gov.uk.
View and download the posters via Dropbox
View and download the safety guidance poster
Business packs
Businesses in Dudley borough town centres will receive 'support local' business packs which will help to brighten shop windows as non-essential retail reopens.
If your business did not receive a pack and you would like one, please email samantha.bright@dudley.gov.uk.
NHS Test and Trace
From 12 April 2021 some businesses are permitted to reopen.
The rules on what you need to do when a group enters your venue have changed. You must ask every customer or visitor to scan the NHS QR code using their NHS COVID-19 app, or provide their name and contact details, not just a lead member of the group.
This is to ensure that everyone receives the necessary public health advice in a timely manner.
Guidance on maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace
Hospitality Fact Sheet Venue Check In Regulations
Key COVID-19 control measures for Close Contact Services:
- Remind customers they must not attend their appointment if they, or anyone in their household, has recently tested positive for Covid-19 or has symptoms.
- Continue to collect Track & Trace information – you must display an NHS QR code, or for people who don’t use a smartphone keep a record of client details for at least 21 days.
- By law, staff and customers must wear a face covering in your premises, unless exempt from this requirement. Customers may remove face coverings when receiving a treatment/service which cannot be carried out while wearing a face covering (for example; when having a facial treatment).
- Good hand hygiene is essential. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly between each client, after taking a break or removing your face mask. Customers should be encouraged to sanitize their hands regularly.
- Clean surfaces and equipment more often and more thoroughly. Frequently touched contact surfaces such as door handles and communal areas such as kitchens and toilets must be given particular attention. Ensure you are using a suitable disinfectant product which complies with BS EN 14476 or states it is effective against enveloped viruses.
- Continue with social distancing – help staff and customers stay 2m apart wherever possible. Consider limiting numbers, spaces between workstations, and the use of screens/barriers and floor markings.
- As social distancing is not possible when providing a close contact service, practitioners are advised to wear a Type II face mask and a visor or goggles.
- Ventilate the premises well – keep windows and doors open where possible.
- Minimize music and noise to avoid people needing to speak loudly or shout.
Pavement licenses
Hospitality businesses can apply for a temporary licence to place tables and chairs on the public highway are now open. Find out more and apply here.
Physical measures in town centres
Social distancing measures are in place in town centres and local high streets to help keep everyone safe. Please see below maps of the measures for each location.
Dudley 2 - central area and Market Place
Further information for Halesowen businesses can be found here.
Information on shopping centres:
The Churchill shopping centre Dudley www.thechurchillshoppingcentre.co.uk
The Cornbow shopping centre Halesowen www.cornbow.co.uk
Rymarket shopping centre Stourbridge www.ryemarketshoppingcentre.co.uk
Please check this page frequently for updated guidance and additional resources.