HAVE you said hi to your local high street since lockdown eased in April? Or supped a pint, rain or shine, in the garden of your favourite pub?
Britain’s businesses have been hard at work making things safe for our return, splashing out on signs reminding us to wear our masks and increasing ventilation in their premises.
They’ve also been pulling on the Marigolds and cleaning round the clock. And that includes Imran Matadar, general manager of Flip Out trampoline park in Rochdale, Lancashire. Imran says that his team can’t wait to get the country jumping for joy once again.
“The trampoline park is in a 35,000 square foot industrial unit so we’ve installed an air extraction system to replace the stale air inside with fresh air from outside. We have three fogging machines – they’re like backpacks with pipes attached to spray disinfectant around the park,” he says.
“We want Flip Out to be a fun place for families to spend time together in a safe and healthy environment. My sons Zaid, who’s 12, and Zayan, who’s ten, used to trampoline all day long when Daddy first opened the park, but the novelty started to wear off.
However, after not being able to come for months, they ask me every day, ‘When can we go trampolining?’ They’ll be our first customers!” Since the pandemic began, Imran says, Flip Out has received amazing support from community organisations like the GC Business Growth Hub in Manchester to help get his business ready for action.
Now the time has come for us – the customers – to do our bit to help our beloved local businesses while they’re on the road to recovery.
You can make sure your phone can scan the QR codes that every venue must display to check you in. If you don’t have a smartphone, carry a pen to fill in a form the venue will give you instead.
Follow the one-way system, maintain a two-metre distance, and wear a face covering when moving around. Remember to wash or sanitise your hands regularly and be prepared to pay via contactless.
It’s time to safely shop, eat and, yes, trampoline – Britain’s businesses need you!
We are doing everything we can to provide a safe environment
How managers are moving mountains
Meurig Jones is location manager of Portmeirion Village in North West Wales. The Italian-style tourist village has a hotel and restaurant. “If I could do cartwheels, I would! When we saw the first trickle of people coming back in April, it was wonderful. The place is lovely, colourful and inspiring but it needs people for it to come to life.
“There’s sanitiser outside every shop and we ask people to wear masks indoors. Staff are temperature checked when they come in and they’ve gone on courses about the new regulations. They were so happy to come back, they would have embraced any changes!”
John Lavery runs award-winning restaurant Fish City in Belfast. “It was a tremendous relief when we were allowed to open again. We’ve created a dining room upstairs with a completely different feel – while adhering to safe dining regulations.
“Safety processes include a digital thermometer for all staff and customers as well as hand sanitiser at the entrance. Tables and chairs are cleaned rigorously after every diner. We are doing everything possible to provide an environment that’s both safe and welcoming for customers. We’re bolstered by the success of the vaccine programme – it’s fantastic.”
Source: Read Full Article
