Liverpool hospitality health and safety specialist Foursquare Group has started compiling a list of restaurants, bars and shops that have passed its COVID-safe scheme. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool hospitality consultancy Foursquare Group has started compiling a register of COVID-safe bars, restaurants and shops in Merseyside.

As Merseyside face new restrictions from Tuesday, September 22, including all bars and restaurants having to close by 10pm, health and safety specialist Foursquare has been working with venues to ensure they are minimising the risk of the spread of the virus.

Its register only includes those establishments it has been working with and there will be many other outlets in the Liverpool city region not on the register that are also COVID-safe. However, the firm believes the list still provides an invaluable resource for the public.

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Foursquare Group has been helping dozens of Merseyside’s independent restaurants, bars and shops by enrolling them onto its industry leading COVID-Safe scheme. Claimed to be only scheme of its kind across the North West, it provides all of the tools needed for these businesses to implement effective control measures against COVID-19.

Businesses who’ve have been helped by the scheme and have been audited to confirm they’re COVID-safe include The Art School, Bacaro, Duke Street Food and Drink Market, Carlisi, Bold Street Coffee and Ropes & Twines. There are more names on the list which you can see by clicking here.

Founder of Foursquare, Liam Jones, said: “Over the last couple of weeks, Liverpool City Council has been urging the public to only visit venues which take their safety seriously – venues which are COVID-safe.

“All of the businesses listed on our register have gone the extra mile by implementing a considered COVID-19 management strategy. Each time a COVID-safe business passes one of our audits, the date is updated on our register to display their commitment to customer safety.”

To encourage as many independent brands as possible to join the scheme, Foursquare Group has developed a ‘pay what you can’ pricing model which is the first of its kind in the UK. It means that all businesses have access to the scheme regardless of their current cash position.

Mr Jones added: “We’ve been aware that this period of time could become problematic in combating the virus; the combination of Eat Out To Help Out and schools going back was always likely to result in an increased infection rate but the question was by how much.

“Now we’re starting to see the infection rate rise, everybody can do their bit to ensure we don’t have to go back into another lockdown. We are continuing to build the COVID-Safe register to help businesses protect their customers and to help customers make smart decisions on where to spend their time.

“No business will be turned away – they can quite simply pay what is affordable to them to receive our help and guidance in implementing the strict Government guidelines to limit the spread of the virus.”