Are these the safest bars, restaurants and hospitality venues in Wales?

Where to find a list of hospitality venues that are Covid compliant in Wales as Safe to Trade Scheme register launches

After keeping their doors shut to visitors for nearly several month as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic, many of Wales’ hospitality venues have reopened in the last week to finally allow visitors inside.

For those, who are looking to head out this weekend but are unsure of which venues to visit and which outlets are safe, a register of Covid compliant establishments can be found at https://safetotrade.org.uk/

The UK-wide Safe to Trade Scheme – which is overseen by top-ranking hospitality safety experts, including the former CEO of the Health and Safety Executive and Food Standards Agency and the ex-Head of Local Delivery at Food Standards Agency and the CEO of Shield Safety Group – has launched the nationwide register which details which bars, restaurants, hotels and cinemas in Wales are working hard on being Covid-compliant and going the extra mile to ensure the safety of their staff and customers stay safe.

The launch of the register comes as new research from the Scheme shows that consumer confidence in the hospitality sector has taken a huge hit, with many of Wales’s hospitality venues joining the Scheme to reassure their customers that they are doing everything in their power to reopen safely.

The Safe to Trade Scheme puts customer and employee safety as its core, working with outlets to ensure that their premises and teams are COVID-secure and more. It is an independently verified and validated by leading health and safety professionals and aims to provide customers with the reassurance that each outlet on its register has not only been deemed Covid-compliant but is going well beyond the required government safety guidance.

The Safe to Trade Scheme puts customer and employee safety as its core, working with outlets to ensure that their premises and teams are COVID-secure and more. It is an independently verified and validated by leading hospitality industry health and safety professionals and aims to provide customers with the reassurance that each outlet on its register has not only been deemed Covid-compliant but is going well beyond the required government safety guidance.

According to the Safe to Trade Scheme, a venue they should be undertaking the following practices and when visiting a venue, you should be able to see these in action or be able to access information on their approach to these, either in the venue or on their website:

• Clear guidance on social distancing and hygiene to people on arrival, for example, signage, visual aids and before arrival, such as by phone, on the website or by email.
• Hand sanitiser / hygiene precautions at the entrance
• Managing the entry of customers, and the number of customers at a venue
• Staggered entry times to avoid queues – and any queues kept outside
• System/record to help with the track and trace of guests
• Staff wearing masks and gloves
• Floor markers to denote social distancing where queues might gather
• Reconfigured indoor and outdoor seating and tables to maintain social distancing
• Limiting indoor gatherings to members of any two households (or support bubbles), while outdoor gatherings are limited to members of any two households, or a group of at most six people
• Reminding customers with children that they are responsible for supervising them at all times to maintain social distancing
• Adjustments within the venue to reduce congestion and contact between customers
• Minimising customer self-service of food, cutlery and condiments
• Customers asked to stay at table to reduce number of surfaces touched
• Contactless payments where possible and location of card readers is social distanced
• Using screens or tables at tills and counters to maintain social distancing
• Ensuring all outdoor areas, with particular regard to covered areas, have sufficient ventilation

Mark Flannagan who chairs the Safe to Trade Scheme governance board comments: “For those customers who will be enjoying the relaxation of the lockdown rules this weekend by heading out for a celebratory drink or meal but want to do so as safely as possible, the Safe to Trade Scheme provides peace of mind. By visiting the Scheme’s website consumers can find out which local venues have signed up and been putting in the extra work to ensure the safety of their guests as they reopen.”

“Every venue that signs up to Safe to Trade is independently audited against its Safety Charter which has been built by a best-in-class expert board. Venues have to adhere to strict health and safety guidance and are supported with training, risk assessments and have access to an advice line should they need additional verification.”

The Safe to Trade Scheme’s register also includes a rating and feedback loop that encourages customers and staff to anonymously feedback on the venues they visit via a ratings system that is accessed via the Safe to Trade Scheme website.

Once a venue achieves approved status it is listed on the Public Register, and its ongoing performance is then monitored and kept up to date via this feedback, which is then shared with the outlet which is encouraged to make changes to their safety measures. Business that achieve approved status are given has window stickers and certificates so that when customers are out and about and considering where to patronise, they can quickly check if an outlet is on the Scheme.

Flannagan adds: “When out and about customers just need to look out for the Safe to Trade window sticker to find a venue signed-up to the Scheme. If they see something concerning at a venue or want to comment an outlet registered to the Scheme, then they can simply scan the QR code on the venue’s Safe to Trade window sticker or visit the website, search for the business to feedback anonymously. This is then fed back to the venue, and outlet managers and owners are encouraged to adjust and adapt their practices to ensure that their business stays COVID compliant and safe.”

Since launching in May, thousands of venues have already signed up to the Scheme, with hundreds more joining on a weekly basis. Many of these venues are still in the process of being loaded onto the register and so regular checking will ensure the most up to date list. To find out more about the Safe to Trade Scheme visit: www.safetotrade.org.uk.