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The pub toilet: is it safe?


Jeremy Bennett from Essity considers how publicans can equip and run their washrooms to safely accommodate customers in the wake of COVID-19.


After months of lockdown and a few chilly weeks of outdoor service, the great British pub is now open, but the experience is very different from how we remember it.


New protocols such as table service, mask-wearing and social distancing have all been introduced to keep customers safe. These types of restrictions seem very much out of place in an environment that’s supposed to be a warm, convivial space where customers can converse over a shared drink.


Publicans have risen admirably to the challenge and are embracing the ‘new norm’. While this summer’s proposed easing of restrictions will hopefully reduce the pressure on pubs still further, ongoing fears of new variants will prompt many establishments to continue to play it safe.


However, pubs are a unique phenomenon. Many of them are housed in snug, centuries-old buildings with uneven floors, beamed ceilings and narrow corridors where social distancing is difficult to enforce.


Table service can be helpful in such environments because it reduces the amount of customer movement around the premises. Many pubs also now allow orders to be placed via an app, which means staff members only need to visit the customer’s table to deliver the drinks.


High drink sales are crucial to the pub’s profit margin, and where customers are purchasing round after round of drinks, they will inevitably need to use the washroom.


This makes the pub toilet a vital part of the establishment’s business model. However, the washrooms of many


52 | LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY


traditional pubs consist of a couple of tiny cubicles tucked away at the end of a corridor or down a steep flight of steps. Social distancing in such environments is impossible and queueing is a nightmare. So, should pubs close off their toilets to ensure the safety of customers?


No, according to government guidelines. The Working Safely during COVID-19 publication updated in May 2021 stresses the importance of keeping pub toilets open to promote good hand hygiene practices.


The guidelines add that the washrooms should be kept well ventilated by means of open windows and vents, or with the use of extractor fans. The provision of hand sanitiser dispensers at entrances is also mooted to offer an extra level of safety and reassurance for customers.


Signs and posters should be displayed to remind people of the need for frequent hand washing and how to do this effectively. Social distancing markers are suggested for areas where queues are likely to form, with businesses being advised to consider a limited entry system with a ‘one in, one out’ strategy where possible.


However, such sensible measures could swiftly create a negative impression on customers anticipating a carefree visit to the pub.


Dire warnings about hand hygiene and failures, coupled with strict one-way systems, will make people feel nervous and edgy, and this will detract from the relaxed pub vibe. A ‘one in, one out’ washroom policy may also be hard to implement because it can be difficult to tell


(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery) twitter.com/TomoCleaning


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