Action taken against town centre bar, as businesses and customers urged to stick to the rules to help keep Wrexham safe…
As a council, we’re doing everything we can to support local businesses during the pandemic.
It’s great to be able to report that the vast majority are managing the risks well, and keeping staff and customers as safe as possible.
However, we also have a duty to intervene when businesses are putting their staff, customers and Wrexham as a whole at risk by failing to stick to Covid-19 safety measures.
So this week, we’ve issued an “improvement notice” on the Penny Black bar in Abbott Street, Wrexham.
We’ve done this using powers given to local councils under coronavirus legislation.
The premises were in breach of regulations due to:
- Lack of customer social distancing.
- Allowing people to drink standing up (customers must be seated).
- Lack of face-mask wearing when not seated.
- Overcrowding.
Make sure you know about changes to Covid-19 restrictions in Wales.
We have to take action
Evidence has been captured through CCTV, police bodycam footage and police eye-witness accounts, and the business was recently warned for similar issues.
Councillor Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, says:
“We don’t want to serve these notices on businesses, but every establishment must follow the rules to help keep Wrexham safe.
“We’re here to help, but if people ignore our advice, then we have to take action.
“We’ll continue to work with Penny Black to provide further guidance and encourage them to make immediate improvements to comply with regulations.”
It’s not just businesses…it’s every one of us
We all have a part to play when we eat and drink out.
Councillor Jones says:
“It’s not just businesses that have a role to play in keeping the town centre safe and welcoming. It’s customers too.
“So when you visit a pub, bar or restaurant, help staff out by following instructions and sticking to social distancing.
“It’s easy to get carried away when we’re enjoying ourselves, but we have to remember that the virus is still here.”
Useful info
If you run a business in Wrexham and you’re uncertain about current Covid-19 regulations and how they affect you, take a look at the Welsh Government website.
If you need further advice, contact Wrexham Council.
😷 Restrictions in Wales – make sure you understand what you can and can’t do 👈
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