By Dan Wood
Pub landlords across Huddersfield are spending tens of thousands of pounds to make sure that their pubs are ready to reopen and do business on July 4th.
The date has been made provisionally for pubs to start trading again.
However, the date is not concrete.
JD Wetherspoon says it has spent around £11 million on plans nationwide to make sure that they are ‘COVID-secure’ for both staff and customers.
The pub chain has two pubs in Huddersfield town centre, The Cherry Tree on John William Street and, The Lord Wilson on King Street.
Both pubs will reopen when the government gives them the go-ahead.
They have said that they will employ two full-time staff per pub, slightly more for bigger pubs, who will regularly clean surfaces and touchpoints throughout the pubs.
All their pubs will have screens at the till point and there will also be screens to create seating areas where it is not possible to separate the tables to the social distancing requirement.
The pubs will use one entrance with a separate exit door where possible.
Floor stickers and barriers will be in place to instruct customers on entry and exit.
There will also be clearly printed information providing guidance to customers as they enter the pubs.
The manager of The Cherry Tree, Catherine Ball, said: “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.”
Mark Robertson, the owner of The Plumbers Arms in Macauley Street, close to Huddersfield Bus Station, said: “I can’t wait to reopen again.
“We have been very busy working with Kirklees Council to use the large semi-circle in front of our pub so customers can drink outside and I’m going to have a large hold created in the glass inside so staff can serve beer through the hatch, the old-fashioned way.
“I’m looking at spending thousands of pounds on benches for customers to sit on and fortunately the weather has been good and the front of The Plumbers gets plenty of sun so it will be great to see customers old and new.
“And hopefully we will get the bands going too again before long.”
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