What businesses need to do

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What businesses need to do

Oldham is currently an area where the local COVID alert level is very high.

We are asking businesses in Oldham to support the local and national coronavirus guidelines and restrictions in order to protect employees and customers on your premises.

Businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law.

All businesses and venues should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers:

Risk assessment

You must carry out a Covid risk assessment in relation to measures you have in place to keep your staff safe.

All staff need to read it and ensure they comply with it:

Self isolation

If your employees are required to self-isolate, you must not allow them to continue to work in any setting.

Businesses that must close

The following businesses will not be allowed to open in Greater Manchester:

  • Casinos
  • Bingo halls
  • Betting shops
  • Adult gaming centres
  • Soft play areas

Support is available for businesses which have had to legally close:

Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants

All pubs and bars must close.

They can only remain open where they operate as a restaurant, by serving substantial meals, and they may only serve alcohol as part of a meal.

Therefore, your business may only continue to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises if:

  • the alcohol is only served for consumption on the premises as part of a ‘table meal’
  • the food and drink are ordered by, and served to, a customer who is seated on the premises, and
  • you take all reasonable steps to ensure that customer remains seated whilst consuming the food and drink on the premises.

A “table meal” is:

  • A meal that you’d expect to serve as a main midday or main evening meal (or as a main course at either such meal)
  • A meal eaten by a person seated at a table, (or at a counter/or other structure functioning as a table where people are seated)

Alcohol can only be ordered if the customer is ordering or consuming a substantial meal deemed to be a table meal and businesses should exercise judgement in line with the licensing objectives, around what is considered to be reasonable when alcohol is ordered and consumed during the relevant timeframe.

The authority will expect businesses to ensure that customers do not undermine the purpose of the restrictions.

Is your business registered with Environmental Health to provide food?

If you want to introduce food preparation and provision, you need to contact Environmental Health to discuss your plans and food safety controls.

You will need a Food Safety Management System – The Food Standard Agency’s (FSA) Safer Food Better Business Catering Pack is recommended:

Allergen management plans must be documented, implemented and all staff trained in how to deal with allergen queries.

Restaurants, cafe’s and takeaways

Food and drink must be ordered from, and served at, a table,

Businesses selling food or drink on their premises are required to close between 10pm and 5am

This will include takeaways but delivery, drive through and click and collect services can continue after 10pm.

Test and trace

It is mandatory for pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data, and keep this for 21 days:

Venues who do not comply could be fined up to £1,000, rising to £4,000 for repeat offenders.

Face coverings

Staff must stay 2m apart and must wear face coverings.

Customers must wear face coverings, except when seated at a table to eat and drink.

You must remind your customers to wear face coverings.

Signs advising customers to wear face coverings must be placed in prominent positions throughout your premises.

Anyone who doesn’t abide by the regulations on face coverings and is not exempt under one of the categories set out in the regulations, could face a fine by the police of up to £200.

Posters

If you would like a free poster, reminding people to wear face coverings while on your premises, download one here:

Business Support

We are keen to engage with all businesses in Oldham to ensure that you are aware of the full range of business support that may be available to you.

Please contact us at: