Wetherspoons reveals plan to reopen pubs in Northampton and Daventry as soon as possible

JD Wetherspoon has revealed the £11 million plan for how its pubs will reopen when they are allowed to, including those in Northampton and Daventry.

The Cordwainer in The Ridings, Northampton, and The Saracens Head in Brook Street, Daventry, will open when the Government gives it the go-ahead - expected to be in July.

Screens around tables and tills, new rules for staff on holding drinks, PPE, hand sanister dispensers and reduced workers are among the plans.

The Cordwainer manager Ian Gardner said: “At present, the Government has not confirmed any reopening date for pubs.

“However, it is important that we are prepared for any announcement.

“We have spent a number of weeks consulting with staff who work in our pubs, as well as area managers in order to draw up our plans.

“The safety of staff and customers is paramount.”

Most Wetherspoon pubs will have two full-time members of staff working - with slightly more for bigger pubs - who will regularly clean surfaces wearing gloves, masks and goggles if they choose to.

They will complete a daily questionnaire to confirm they are fit to work and have their temperature taken when they arrive.

The employees will be charged with monitoring the pubs at all times to maintain social distancing standards and there will be a member of staff on the door at peak times.

All pubs will have screens around the tills as well as around seating areas where it is not possible to put them two metres apart.

There will be an average of 10 hand sanitiser dispensers around each pub, including at the entrance for customers and staff to use.

The pubs will use one entrance with a separate exit door where possible and the customer entry and exit will be marked out by floor stickers and/or barriers.

Customers will be asked to use the Wetherspoon app to order and pay, wherever possible, or pay at the bar using a credit/debit card and contactless, although cash will be accepted.

Staff will hand over all drinks holding the base of the glass and when ordered by the app they will be delivered to the table on a tray and placed on the table using the base of the glass.

The pubs will also offer a slightly reduced menu and will provide sachets of ketchup, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, rather than their usual condiment bottles and will be open their usual opening hours.