Lifting spirits but not restrictions: The Bristol businesses sticking to safety measures

Despite the nationwide unlocking of coronavirus restrictions on Monday, many Bristol businesses will continue to maintain a level of caution and keep some rules in place.

These decisions have been made for a variety of reasons, including the safety of staff and customers, adapting well to new regulations and wanting to ease the transition experience back to normality.

Across the city, a “Bristol standard” has been adopted by many institutions, including advocating for “hands, face, space” guidance, with Covid marshals in place to educate the public.

As it stands across the country, legally mask-wearing has been made optional, social distancing has been dropped and all of the last sectors to open up, including nightlife and clubbing venues have done so.

However, speaking to independent businesses in Wapping Wharf, it is clear most are taking a cautious approach.

Some Wapping Wharf businesses will continue to uphold Covid restrictions – photo: Courtesy of Wapping Wharf

Ben Williams, director at Jigakari, an independent Persian and Levantine takeaway in CARGO said: “The wellbeing of our team and our customers comes first. Of course, trading is essential to staying alive but putting takings before people is never an option for us, regardless of Covid. We are grateful that even in our first year, our customers seem to get that and have been generous in their support.

“At our crate down at Cargo we will continue to maintain our safety measures for the foreseeable, from food prep to service to staff bubbles to cleaning eating areas. Our customers eat on our tables outside or walk down to the water so they have told us they feel safe knowing that we put them first.

“We encourage distancing and wearing masks when queuing and, having taken all the steps we can, we strive to give our customers delicious healthy food, fun times with friends and a safe environment. And, if after all that our customers want to stay at home, we are only one click away from providing safely packed feasts so they have the choice to do what suits them.”

Grace Lander, general manager at Wild Beer, an independent craft beer bar in Wapping Wharf, explained how it’s unlikely they will be returning to how they ran prior to the pandemic.

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To Grace and her staff, table service has forged part of a new experience that they’re looking forward to being able to continue to offer to their guests.

“We changed what we do here and it works so much better for us. The atmosphere in the bar is fantastic. It’s not super loud and people are enjoying coming in and having more food,” said Grace.

“We’ve had loads of really good feedback – people keep saying to us that they like what we’re doing and it makes them feel safe.”

Entertainment venues such as Watershed and Bristol Old Vic will also be continuing to offer socially distanced and masked-up shows.

The Old Vic will be offering two socially distanced shows a week, which will also request mask-wearing, while all other shows will continue to take place with staff in face coverings, extra cleaning high level theatre ventilation.

Watershed will be increasing its capacity from 25 per cent to 50 per cent on July 28, although bookings will continue to be made in groups of six. Again, face coverings will remain a condition in cinemas and around the building unless people are exempt.

Many loyal Watershed customers have tweeted expressing relief and thanks at the caution being taken for reopening’s, with one movie-goer describing the decision as “measured and informed.”

For more information on Wapping Wharf’s code of conduct, see: www.wappingwharf.co.uk/our-code/

Main photo: JonCraig_Photos

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