Servers at pub not wearing masks - is this ok?

[Catyness]

I've been to 2 pubs now since they've re-opened outside. I was surprised last night that the servers/waiters weren't wearing any type of face covering. They stood around 1m away to take the order then would be right at the table when delivering the drinks.

Is this allowed? Is this safe?

I did feel uncomfortable and won't be rushing back there I'm afraid.

@Lelophants

Thus is awful. Do people want to return to lockdown? All they need to do is wear an effing mask.

There's no requirement to wear a mask outdoors, and there never has been.

Why would not wearing them outside now (when over half the population have had at least one vaccination) mean we'll return to lockdown?

The Fear is still alive and kicking really interested to see how the government intend to put the genie back in the bottle

I'm astounded that apparently now you're vilified for not wearing a mask outdoors, even though it's never been a requirement to do so. It was bad enough when those who were unable to wear a mask indoors were getting it in the neck - now people who don't even have to wear one are, too.

I say this as someone who's exempt and has had months of abuse, but also as someone who believes masks are a good idea and if you can wear one, you should. But only in settings where they're required - and once everyone's vaccinated, they shouldn't be mandatory anywhere.

@Lelophants

Thus is awful. Do people want to return to lockdown? All they need to do is wear an effing mask.

Jesus wept total over reaction 🙄

@Thegentleman This isn’t a conspiracy theory thread about masks, so I’m not going to partake in this conversation any longer I’m afraid.

Wear your mask, please.

Not OK, not setting an example in the areas where face coverings should be worn (if going to use the toilet indoors, for example).

Pub I went to over the weekend had staff with masks on.

@newnortherner111

Not OK, not setting an example in the areas where face coverings should be worn (if going to use the toilet indoors, for example).

Pub I went to over the weekend had staff with masks on.

But not outdoors, where they don't need to be worn, surely?

From the CDC! At least they’ve got the right idea.

We had an environmental health visit today and they said we did have to wear masks and they also want staff to have lateral flow tests too. And customers do have to wear masks while waiting to be seated and when going to the toilets. Our whole cafe is outdoors, only the kitchen and toilet are inside.

Environmental health overstepping the Mark I think.

Same honeyroar. I believe they have to do this until government guidance is changed.

It wouldn't bother me personally. I was at a pub Last weekend which has no covid measures inn place at all

Card machine broke, no masks, wasn't very clean. Cobwebs in them loos. They've been closed for months! Could have given a quick dusting round. A sign at the front telling people to check in with nhs

Still stayed for a drink though

But I think the rules are that servers must wear them

The local authority can issue a fine to the establishment for this

@Honeyroar

This is what our local council sent out to outdoor bars. Staff should be wearing masks. We all are.

Presumably your local councillors are all high flying virologists and epidemiologists with far greater expertise and knowledge than all the govt advisers combined

@pointyshoes It’s a middle ground to ensure some compliance remains, the govt rules around this are not the safest possible, that is really obvious and doesn’t take an expert to understand.

Just popping back to this thread to confirm that when I went to three separate bars yesterday, two had servers who weren't wearing masks outdoors at all and one had some wearing them, some not.

As I said earlier DD isn't required to wear one at work when she's serving outside so I knew this to be the case anyway.

Covid is suppressed in almost all my local postcodes and where it isn't the infection rate is tiny (around 15 per 100,000). The current rate if infection in the UK is around 1 in 1000 people. Added to that, over 60% of people have antibodies, the majority of adults have had at least one vaccination and vaccines have been proven to cut transmission.

I'd love to know how safe people need to feel, given the absolutely miniscule chance you're likely to catch covid outdoors at the moment. And if you're vulnerable, you'll likely have had both your vaccinations anyway. If you're not vulnerable, you are more likely to die in a car accident on your way to the venue than you are of covid caught while you're there (given you've a tiny chance of catching it in the first place).

Oh, and there's the small fact that the pandemic is deemed (by those who know what they're on about) to be over in the UK.

Seriously. Some perspective is required.

I just asked at my local (all in masks) and they said it’s enforced here and I live in a city in the South. All staff must wear masks. I said that it apparently wasn’t “the law” and the council dictates, so it seems our council are cracking down which is great.

The Covid marshalls have apparently been here a few times to make sure servers are wearing masks.

Covid is a busy bodies’ charter

@AlecTrevelyan006

Covid is a busy bodies’ charter

Exactly this!!

The Covid marshalls have apparently been here a few times to make sure servers are wearing masks

The pathetic 'covid marshalls' have absolutely no power if they are trying to make a server wear a mask outside.

@LucilleTheVampireBat Well, the landlord of this pub has said it’s compulsory where I live regardless.

More covid theatre to appease the bed wetters then.

I said that it apparently wasn’t “the law” and the council dictates, so it seems our council are cracking down which is great.

It's not really great it's disgusting the council should not be making up own Guidelines.

One of the councils covid enforcers where I live has actually been barred from several establishments due to bullying behaviour shouting at people in front of customers and other things. Also made a establishment take down a roof that was previously deemed ok.

Many of these covid enforcers are people you shouldn't give any sort of power too.

[quote Canyouexplainhowthatis]@LucilleTheVampireBat Well, the landlord of this pub has said it’s compulsory where I live regardless.[/quote]
It's not the law so it's not compulsory where anyone (in England, can't speak for the other UK nations) lives.

The covid marshals can't enforce a law which doesn't exist.

@Againstmachine Well, everyone I’ve spoken to about this have said that people moaning about this sound like people who just don’t want to wear masks.

I mean, seriously, with so much going wrong in the world it sounds incredibly entitled to moan about wearing a mask.