Guidance for retailers, hospitality, and visitor economy reopening after lockdown

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For the latest government guidance for businesses that work in the visitor economy, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/the-visitor-economy

For event organisers:

Please use the following link for the latest local guidance on organising events: https://www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk/app/uploads/2021/12/DPH-letter-to-Peterborough-events.pdf

The below information was compiled after the first lockdown in March and has been kept for reference

For impartial, free of charge support for your business, please email info@opportunitypeterborough.co.uk.

Retailers, please note: To help manage the number of visitors to the city centre, businesses are being encouraged to stagger their opening hours so they open at 10.00am and close at 6.00pm.

Businesses can join the Facebook Group for alerts, information, and to put their questions to Peterborough City Council.

On this page:

Is your business COVID-19 secure?

For workspace specific guidance from government, visit the business support hub on the gov.uk website.
For expert guidance on risk assessments visit the Health & Safety Executive’s website.
Peterborough City Council has provided guidance online for businesses to help them stay COVID-19 safe : https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/healthcare/public-health/coronavirus/support-and-advice-for-business
Support the NHS by maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support test and trace.

Test and Trace

From Friday 18 September it will be mandatory for hospitality venues such as yours to keep these records for Test and Trace purposes, should they be needed. By not doing so, you risk a fine.

The new NHS COVID-19 app will launch on 24 September to help businesses meet the new legal requirement to record the contact details of customers, visitors and staff on their premises.

The app will allow customers and visitors in England to check-in on entry with their phone instead of filling out a check-in book or tool specific to a business. This will allow NHS Test and Trace to contact customers with public health advice should there be a COVID-19 outbreak. Businesses who are already using their own QR system are being encouraged to switch to the NHS Test and Trace QR code. An alternative check-in method must be maintained to collect the contact details of those who don’t have the app, for example a handwritten register.

You should create and display a QR code if you are:

A business, place of worship or community organisation with a physical location that is open to the public
An event which is taking place in a physical location

Once you have registered for your QR code you are being encouraged to display the NHS QR code posters in a place that is visible on entry to the business.

Retailers

Show your customers and staff your business is compliant using the government’s checklist:

We have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment and shared the results with the people who work here
We have cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures in line with guidance
We have taken all reasonable steps to help people work from home
We have taken all reasonable steps to maintain a 2m distance in the workplace
Where people cannot be 2m apart, we have done everything practical to manage transmission risk

Click here to download the checklist.

For risk assessment guidance, visit hte Health & Safety Executive’s website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/risk-assessment.htm

Hospitality and Visitor Economy

The government has published new guidance for hotels and other accommodation, attractions, business events and consumer shows to make their premises safe for staff and visitors.

Additional guidance for businesses in the visitor economy can be found from Visit England:

‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard – you can apply online to show your business is COVID-9 safe and compliant with government advice
Know Before You Go consumer campaign
Visit England Business Advice Hub

Face coverings

Useful links:

Full guidance from the government, including recommended steps for businesses was updated on 23 July 2020 for restaurants and takeaway delivery and for shops and retail.
Check guidance updates for other workplace types
Disposing of waste safely, including face masks
Collecting visitor, staff and customer details to support test and trace
Working safely during COVID-19 – risk assessment guidance from the Health & Safety Executive

From 24 July in England, members of the public must wear face coverings in shops, supermarkets, banks, building societies and post offices. A face covering is something which safely covers the nose and mouth. The public is permitted to use a fabric covering such as a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering, but these must be fitted securely round the side of the face. Frequent hand washing and careful social distancing should still be encouraged.

Face coverings will not be mandatory for:

anyone under the age of 11
those with disabilities or certain health conditions, such as respiratory or cognitive impairments that make it difficult for them to wear a face covering

Anyone who doesn’t abide by the regulations – and is not exempt under one of the categories set out in the regulations – could face a fine by the police of up to £100, as is currently the case on public transport.

Businesses should take steps to encourage compliance and can refuse entry to customers not wearing the required face coverings.

Where are face coverings not required?

Face coverings are not required in hospitality settings, including:

restaurants with table service, bars, and pubs
entertainment venues such as cinemas or casinos,
visitor attractions such as heritage sites or museums,
exercise and sports venues such as gyms.

If a shop is within another premises which does not require a face covering, they are only required in the shop. If a shop has an area where customers can consume food and drink, customers may remove their face covering in that area.

Workforce safety

There is no universal face coverings guidance for workplaces but there is detailed guidance for specific workplace settings. Employers must make sure that the risk assessment for their business addresses the risks of COVID-19. A copy of the risk assessment checklist you can display to staff, customers and visitors can be found above on this page, or in the workplace guidance.

Please note, PPE should not be used to protect against COVID-19 outside clinical settings or when responding to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. Social distancing, hygiene and having fixed teams and working patterns that reduce contact are the most effective preventative measures.

Face coverings are not required for employees in shops, supermarkets, shopping centres, banks, building societies and post office staff. Transport staff are not required to wear face coverings either. However, face masks could be beneficial if social distancing will be difficult.

Key updates:

Keep a record of staff, customer and visitors to support test and trace: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/maintaining-records-of-staff-customers-and-visitors-to-support-nhs-test-and-trace. This information will be required if an outbreak occurs.
Reconfigue indoor and outdoor seating and tables to maintain social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable, is acceptable). Workers’ spaces must also adhere to social distancing guidelines such as break rooms, exits and entrances and canteens.
Ensure adequate ventilation of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Provide additional hand washing stations or hand sanitiser for workers, visitors and customers.
Consider putting in one-way systems
If queuing is necessary, use outdoor space where possible
Encourage contactless payments and contactless ordering. Reduce queues and stagger pick-up times of customers that order online, via apps or over telephone.

Key information for your staff:

- - Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before putting a face covering on, and before and after removing it.
  - When wearing a face covering, avoid touching your face or face covering, as you could contaminate them with germs from your hands.
  - Change your face covering if it becomes damp or if you’ve touched it.
  - Continue to wash your hands regularly.
  - Change and wash your face covering daily. If the material is washable, wash in line with manufacturer’s instructions. If it’s not washable, dispose of it carefully in your usual waste.
  - Practise social distancing wherever possible.

Reporting outbreaks

If there is more than one case of COVID-19 associated with your workplace, you should contact Peterborough City Council’s Public Health team, email: C19Incident@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. You can find more government guidance on how to report outbreaks in your workplace here.

Ongoing support for city businesses

Your questions answered: Businesses reopening in the Peterborough can use the closed Facebook group to highlight challenges to the City Council, discuss issues, access support, tackle problems together, and share best practice. The group was begun to support city centre retailers, but is open to any business reopening after lockdown.

The group is being moderated by Peterborough City Council, Opportunity Peterborough and Peterborough Positive Moderators will aim to respond to questions within 2 working days.

Join the group here.

Trading Standards & Environmental Health: For more information and advice on business closures, social distancing and hygiene, visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/covid-business.

Business support and development, perspex screens and PPE: For additional business support around skills development, recruitment, general business development, and funding and grant opportunities, contact Opportunity Peterborough: info@opportunitypeterorough.co.uk or call 01733 317417.

Government funding for the arts

On 6 July, the government announced a £1.5 billion investment to protect jobs in culture, arts, and heritage delivered through a mix of grants and loans, including:

£270 million of repayable finance
£880 million grants
£100 million for the national cultural institutions in England and the English Heritage Trust.
£120 million capital investment to restart construction on cultural infrastructure and for heritage construction projects in England which was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The scheme will open for applications in the coming weeks.

Reassure customers and get your business noticed

To encourage people back to the city centre, we want to help share what local businesses are doing to help visitors socially distance, and share good practice among local companies to keep staff safe.

Tag us on social media or send us a photo with details of your business:

Facebook:

/PeteroroughCC

/Opportunity-Peterborough

Twitter:

@ PeterboroughCC

@ OP_Peterborough

Communications@peterborough.gov.uk

Free airtime

Peterborough Community Radio is also giving local businesses free airtime to help them keep customers informed of their plans – whether you’re preparing to open, have moved some services online, have changed your offer, or just want to thank your loyal customers. Details can be found here.

Making Peterborough city centre COVID-19 safe

Peterborough City Council is taking the following steps to make the city centre COVID-19 secure for visitors:

Widening pavements and bike lanes to help pedestrians/cyclists – this will involve cordoning off off-street parking
Installing new bicycle parking
Council owned car parks will remain free of charge until 30 June.
Visitors will be asked to adhere to Government guidelines and walk or cycle into the city wherever possible
Considering pedestrianising parts of the city centre
Removing some street furniture to create more space
Introducing an open-air ‘cafe-style’ culture across the city for restaurants/cafes when they are allowed to open again
Turning off the Cathedral Square fountains to create more space
Installing clear signage and floor/seat markings to help people know where to stand
Improving cleaning of the city centre – Including a daily deep-clean hotwash
Hand santising stations throughout the city centre
Ensuring disabled people can access shopping areas

You can get a preview of some of the artwork, and feed back on additional measures that could help further improve safety around the city centre in the closed Facebook Group for city centre businesses.

Accessing PPE equipment and perspex screens

To help businesses source PPE equipment and perspex screens to keep their staff and visitors safe, Opportunity Peterborough is working with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority to identify local providers where possible.

For support accessing PPE equipment, please contact Opportunity Peterborough directly – email: info@opportunitypeterborough.co.uk

Local perspex screen suppliers

LOF Office Furniture – 01733 555360
PKB Trade – 01733 295565
JD Interior Solutions – 01733 665295
Go Displays – 01733 232000
POS Display Shops – 01733 892815
XL Displays – 01733 511030
RA Baker – 01733 344 177
Europress – 01733 390890
Kallkwik – 01733 344955
GH Display – 01733 570222
Rapind – 01733 394941
Nene Rubber – 01733 894949
POS Display Shops – 01733 892815
Jansen Displays – (warehouse in Peterborough – collections available) 01480 592444
Solutions 4 Office – 0203 551 6957

Safety signage

Peterborough City Council can provide the below signage within two days’ turnaround free of charge. Artwork can be provided on encapsulated paper to make it more durable. Alternatively you can download the print-ready PDFs.

If you would like order any of the below printed materials, or floor stickers for indoor use please email: rebecca.mills@opportunitypeterborough.co.uk