Mansfield restaurant goes above and beyond with Covid-19 adaptations to reassure customers

The Hostess restaurant on Sookholme Road has moved tables two metres apart to maintain the social distancing regulations set out by the government and even sanitises salt and pepper pots before every use.

Other measures include a shielded carvery counter, disposable menus, a table service for drink orders, sanitising stations around the building and different doors to enter and exit the building.

These are just some of the many things the restaurant is doing to protect its customers and to take away the nervous tension they might be feeling.

Restaurant owner, Andrew Hopper said: “We’ve had a lot of praise back from customers that feel safe at our restaurant because of the measures we’ve put in.

"We’ve socially distanced the tables so we can’t get the amount of people that we used to have.

“It’s been slow going to get started back up again but every week that we are open, a few more people come and then every week is better and better so people are starting to get a bit more confidence in eating out.”

After being closed for three months the family-run business spent weeks drawing up the plans that would make customers feel safe on their return and have asked for feedback on the measures introduced.

Andrew said: “We’re asking customers if there are any measures that they would feel safer with.

“We’re seeing the same people week after week now and we are asking if they feel safe and the opinion is yes, they come back every week because of that.”

He added: “It has been very positive.

“People come in knowing that this industry has been through three months of not being open and people are coming back and supporting us so we’re very very grateful of that.”

On Tuesdays throughout August, the restaurant will be working with local businesses and producers impacted financially by the pandemic to showcase their products and help them to become stable again.

The ‘Support Local Evening’ will put emphasis on the need to support independent business who are fighting to stay open and encourage more people to use local produce.

They recently announced on their social media page that they will be teaming up with Robert Bowring, the award-winning butchers in Mansfield who will be supplying the restaurant with some of their quality produce.

A takeaway service offering the full menu is also available for people who do not want to eat inside the restaurant.

To view the menu visit www.thehostess.co.uk.