Is this the future of clubbing? London bar unveils new safety measures for drinkers that include walking through a disinfectant tunnel before they enter

• The Piano Works in Farringdon has installed a disinfectant tunnel in its queue
• Customers required to have their temperature checked and walk through gate which sprays chlorine dioxide and coats the outer layers of clothes and skin
• Director Tristan Moffat hopes it will help visitors feel confident at their bar
• Latest safety measure comes as the industry attempts to recover from pandemic

A bar in London has unveiled its new safety measures for drinkers which will see them having their temperature taken and walking through a disinfectant tunnel before they enter. 

The Piano Works in Farringdon, London, installed the measures after the pub and bar industry took an enormous hit when forced to close as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

With Britons flocking to pubs and restaurants to take advantage of the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, companies have been ramping up safety measures to ensure customers feel confident when visiting.  

Customers at The Piano Works in Farringdon, London, will have their temperature taken and be asked to walk through a disinfectant tunnel before they enter the bar

The latest safety measure was installed as the company hopes to open its doors in September for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown 

Customers who walk through the gate are sprayed with chlorine dioxide which coats the outer layers of clothes and skin

At the bar in Farringdon for example, those wishing to enter must have their temperature taken by a thermal imaging camera. 

Following this, they must walk through the disinfectant gate which sprays chlorine dioxide and coats the outer layers of clothes and skin. 

The Piano Works, which is hoping to reopen its doors for the first time in September, is the first hospitality venue in the UK to use the Gateway spray tunnel. 

Tristan Moffat, operations director for The Piano Works in London said: ‘The most important thing is that we give customers the confidence to return to our venues. 

As well as walking through the tunnel, customers will also have their temperatures checked using a thermal imaging camera before they enter

The Piano Works is the first hospitality venue in the UK to use the Gateway spray tunnel

Tristan Moffat, operations director for The Piano Works in London said the bar hopes the new measures will help customers feel more confident when visiting

‘Anyone who says having more safety measures is a bad thing, I would strongly argue against. I think having safety measures in place instills confidence in customers.’  

It is hoped an increase in safety measures will encourage customers to continue visiting after it was revealed last week that sales at UK pub, restaurant and bar chains were halved in July compared to the previous year. 

Sales in July were 50.4 per cent lower year-on-year, according to data from the latest monthly Coffer Peach Business Tracker of hospitality firms.

Bars saw sales tumble by 63.3 per cent for the month, while restaurant sales dived by 59.8 per cent. 

Bars saw sales tumble by 63.3 per cent for the month, while restaurant sales dived by 59.8 per cent, according to a survey of 7,500 sites across the UK

‘The figures are a reflection of the fact that reopening of sites has been gradual, and not all by any means are back in business, plus those that are open are in general trading at well below normal levels,’ said Karl Chessell, director of CGA, the business insight consultancy that produces the survey, with The Coffer Group and RSM.

‘They also paint a mixed picture, with pubs in general opening up more strongly than restaurants, and London, which was hit earliest, still struggling to gain traction.’

Earlier this month bacteria expert Professor Hugh Pennington said there has been a Covid-19 ‘outbreak associated with pubs’ and for ’90 per cent of cases, that was how they caught it.’

The Aberdeen University professor also told BBC Radio 5 that being indoors in a pub can increase the risk of infection as ‘hot and steamy’ environments helps the virus ‘get about’.

Under Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s scheme, bars and restaurants can offer up to £10 off a meal per person between Monday and Wednesday during August

Bacteria expert Professor Hugh Pennington said there has been a Covid-19 ‘outbreak associated with pubs’ and for ’90 per cent of cases, that was how they caught it.’ 

His words came the day after Aberdeen was put back into lockdown after more than 20 pubs and restaurants were involved in a cluster of coronavirus cases in the city.

Speaking about the prospect of a second lockdown, The Piano Works manager Mr Moffat said: ‘If we reopened and we had another lockdown obviously it would be disastrous for our business and I really felt for the businesses in Manchester who had to close with a few hours notice. 

‘But like with everything through this pandemic you have to stay positive, you have to think outside the box, you have to think how you can protect your staff, customers and your business as best as possible.’

Fears for the survival of the industry have been somewhat quashed as it was confirmed 10.5million diners used Rishi Sunak’s scheme in the first week, with some people who work in the industry claiming they have ‘never felt so overworked in their life’.

Despite these criticisms, Mr Moffat said the government has been ‘hugely supportive’ and urged people to ‘remember they’re dealing with an impossible situation’.

Workers have since admitted feeling ‘overwhelmed’ by the increasing demand since the introduction of the government scheme

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