City Pub Group: ‘We don’t want a free-for-all’

City Pub Group chairman Clive Watson will continue to encourage masks, social distancing and table service to “avoid a scrum at the bar” after July 19.

He told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “July 19 has been dubbed ‘Freedom Day’ but it really shouldn’t be free for all day.”

Watson says staff will be asked to wear masks with customers encouraged to do the same, and if they approach the bar to order they will be initially urged to do it at the table.

“I think that staff should be encouraged or instructed to wear masks, I think that’s very important, and I also think from a customer’s point of view we will still try to offer as much service as possible at the table,” he said.

“What we don’t want is a free for all scrum at the bar, with lots of people queuing up. Nearly 50% of our customers order their food and drink via the app, we want to continue that, with the rest ordering at table. We want to continue that as well.

“It’s not like flicking a switch back to February 2020. We’re not going to say you cannot order at the bar - but we’re going to make it as easy as possible to order from the table. We’re not going to militant about it - but we’re not going to encourage people to order at the bar.

“Staff will be encouraged to tell people: ‘No order at the table, that way you’ll get quicker service, easier service and safer service’.

“And I think a lot of customers and staff will welcome that. It might not work for all. It’s about making customers and staff safe.

“It’s easier to tell staff that it is best practice to wear masks. Customers will be more difficult but then they should be encouraged to wear masks and we will also have masks behind the bar.

“Again we won’t be militant about but I think a lot of staff and customers will welcome people continuing with those safe practices that we’ve had over the past 18 months.”