Mansfield businesses are praised for being Covid-safe

Many businesses started trading again in July after lockdown restrictions were eased and the council's environmental health team has been working with them to ensure they have appropriate measures in place to keep both customers and staff safe.

Among local businesses that the council has praised is Casey's Coffee Bar in White Hart Street.Owner Karen Keys, who runs the business with her husband John, said they had removed almost half of the cafe's seating and introduced a track and trace system.She continued: "We are following the rules as it would be stupid not to knowing what we know about Covid-19.

"We were one of the last cafés to reopen in Mansfield as we wanted to make sure we could keep our customers and staff as safe as possible."If we came to a point where we felt our customers and staff were not safe, we'd shut our doors, because safety is paramount to us."Quite a lot of the elder generation use our cafe and one customer is in his nineties.

"His daughter came in to see what we had done and felt it was safe to bring her dad in.”Coun Amanda Fisher, portfolio holder for communities and wellbeing, said: "By and large most businesses are abiding by the rules and operating in a safe and responsible manner and they should be commended for that."We must all keep thinking 'hands, face, space - keep Mansfield safe'.”

Among other businesses praised by the team were the Red Gate Inn on Westfield Lane, Lucys Café on Market Street, Mansfield, Hair, Beauty and Aesthetics Lounge on Stockwell Gate, and Easy Barbers on Leeming Street.

Businesses are also urged to ensure they have NHS QR code posters visible on entry so customers who have downloaded the new NHS COVID-19 app can use their smartphones to easily check-in.

The app launches on September 24.

Businesses can find guidance at www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

Customers can report concerns to the council by emailing [email protected].