From the end of the week social gatherings with friends. A refreshing zest of your favourite beverage topped with an appetizing meal to start the weekend off. Or those weekend meals where you all take the day off. Treat yourself and check out the “raved about” local new cuisine. Sitting down to enjoy the culinary delights of the new local chef. And of course, let’s not forget those weekend walks. Taking the dogs out. Stopping off at your local cafe. Basking in the sun as you enjoy an ice cream on a cool afternoon.

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“Our sector is burning through £100 million a month just trying to survive with no cash coming in. That is simply not sustainable." (Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA)

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The stance from the government is for some restaurants and pubs to open in July. Ensuring they can adhere to social distancing and help protect the threat of the virus down. Forcing owners to both be creative and proactive to ensure their survival.

Survival in an industry that thrives on an atmospheric buzz. A Congregation of crowds. Customers sat in proximity. Although certainly achievable, how realistic is it?

With the focus on staying afloat, the emphasis will be to stay open for business. Statista reported that, in the week preceding the Government’s advice for people to stop going to restaurants and pubs on 16th March, restaurant groups experienced the biggest fall in like-for-like sales at 21 percent, while bar sales dropped by 14 percent. Over the whole month of March, bar sales dropped by 60 percent and restaurants by 56.4 percent.

While the opening is a welcome return, the industry must look at all the implications and threats in place.

- Continuous effect on business losses. While some may be able to keep ticking with third party takeaway and home delivery options eventually these will always limit the already small profit margins.
- Delays in the reopening. Not getting customer areas ready and government compliant.
- Moral obligation as seen by the public.
- Scandal and backlash. Public scrutiny will be at his highest and with relative ease we can all upload videos, pictures, etc.
- The threat of legal or insurance claims. Closure and legal ramifications.

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The onus will be entirely on restaurants, bars, cafes, etc to be COVID compliant. If not just for the re-opening, then certainly for their continuation.

A continuation that will rely on technology to manage contactless ordering. Employing a highly regulated staff force with an emphasis on health & safety. And most importantly, adhere to social distancing. This is where the emphasis will be on being creative and proactive. In creating an environment that welcomes the public.

Welcome Back 

Creating an environment that encourages people to walk back through the doors may be a challenge. The challenge may just be a logistical one. One which the industry can prepare for.

The creation of space will be key. Like most office workers the industry will need to create a safe space. One that is Covid-19 compliant, stools, tables, spare furniture will need to be moved around and put away. Places, where people congregate, will need to have strict measures for social distancing. Rather than having empty tables or stacked chairs and tables in a corner, you may want to move them away. Create a designated area for couples, groups to sit which fits in with government guidelines. Moving them away from the main floor will create a safe space. Aesthetically keeping the balance indoors and not creating a pile-up which could lead to fire & safety implications.

While the paramount concern must be on creating an area that is safe and healthy, we must remember there will be a majority of people looking to return to normal life. Albeit the closet possible version. A version where they can still meet friends and families.

While all the talk of restoring the “nations feel-good factor.” through sport has been battered around we can now also look at cafes, pubs, restaurants having a similar moral boosting victory. Getting people safely out and once again supporting our local town favourites.  

As a business owner if your primary concern is keeping clean and professional after Covid-19. easyStorage has the strategy to get you back to business! We’ve put measures in place to help where we:

- Collect Safely. No need to leave your premises
- Load Safely. A crew with masks and gloves for your safety.
- Return Safely. When measures have eased you get all the contents back.

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easyStorage PODs are perfect to store tables, desks, chairs. fridges and you don’t need to worry about carrying or loading all the heavy items. Our trained staff is here to help. We’re here to help ease you back to what will hopefully be business as usual shortly. Get in contact for a personal business exclusive quote.