Venues urged to use trade bodies

Pubs and bars are being urged to take advantage of support from trade bodies ahead of the hospitality industry reopening its outdoor spaces from 12 April, to ensure they are prepared.

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and UKHospitality (UKH) are urging business operators to consult their newly-updated reopening guidance and FAQs to ensure venues are ready to welcome customers in line with government requirements.

The three trade associations have provided a wide range of reopening guidance, both jointly and individually, to ensure that businesses are in line with expected government reopening guidance.

While the rules are not yet written into legislation, this guidance brings together expert insight based on conversations with government to allow businesses to plan for their reopening.

“Whether you are reopening in April, May or later in the year, we want to make the process as easy and valuable as possible," the trade bodies said in a joint statement. "We know that many businesses are eager to get going, but are unsure about where to start.

“Businesses will have learned many valuable lessons over the past year, but the barrage of information over the past 12 months has been understandably tricky to navigate. We have done, and will continue to do, the hard work in communicating advice so that businesses can focus on their own day-to-day operations.

“Government reopening guidance is yet to be published, and it will be made available to our members at the earliest opportunity. Until then, we are in constant dialogue with Westminster and the devolved governments, and we are using our collective wealth of expertise to ensure that all hospitality businesses remained fully informed.

“We have comprehensive FAQs and guidance documents online and we strongly urge businesses to acquaint themselves with them. Any BII, BBPA or UKH members unsure about what they can and cannot do ahead of, on and after the reopening dates, or the support we can offer, should contact us immediately. Non-members are also encouraged to get in touch to see what we can offer them and to add their weight to our collective voices championing the sector at this important time.”

For more information, operators can visit the following website pages:

ukhospitality.org.uk - bii.org - beerandpub.com