City of Wolverhampton Council understands that businesses will be doing all they can to stay trading during this time. Prior to commencing any form of food business or distribution, particularly if you are doing something new, please ensure that you contact the Environmental Health Service so an officer can provide you with advice and guidance on how to do this as safely as possible:
- Phone: 01902 552079
- Email: tradewithconfidence.food@wolverhampton.gov.uk
- Website
As we are sure you are aware the Government have stepped up measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and save lives. This means you must:
- Stay at home as much as possible
- Work from home if you can
- Limit contact with other people
- Keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible)
- Wash your hands regularly
Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.
From 2nd December Wolverhampton, along with all areas of the UK will be subject to local tiered restrictions. For more information regarding the Tiers please view Tier posters: Medium, High and Very High
You can find more information on the Government’s website about Coronavirus and What You Can And Can’t Do.
City of Wolverhampton Council have launched Wolves in Business, a local economy support package to help businesses through this time of great anxiety.
It is now mandatory for face coverings to be worn in numerous places.
The Government’s website explains when to wear one and how to make your own
The single most important action we can all take in fighting coronavirus is to stay at home and away from others. This is known as Social Distancing. You can find more information on the Government’s website about:
- Social Distancing by staying alert, controlling the virus, and in doing so, save lives.
- Staying Safe Outside Your Home to lower the risk of transmission of the virus.
- Self-isolation for households with possible coronavirus infection.
- Shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19.
- Handwashing to protect yourself and others from illnesses. This useful video shows you how to wash your hands to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The most up to date guidance on what businesses and venues should be closed can be found on the Government’s website for Closing Certain Businesses
Employers that want to reopen their business have a legal responsibility to protect their employees and other people on site. You can find more information at:
- Reopen your business safely during coronavirus (COVID‑19)
- Reopening and adapting your food business during COVID-19
- Here to Help Food Businesses
- Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
- 5 steps to working safely
- Public Health Covid-19: Business Re-opening
- Business Companion Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance
- For Employers, employees and the self-employed
- Cleaning and Waste
You can get free COVID-19 signage for your businesses:
As an employer, you must protect people from harm. This includes taking reasonable steps to protect your workers and others from coronavirus. This is called a COVID-19 risk assessment and it’ll help you manage risk and protect people. If you employ 5 or more then the results of this risk assessment must be written down. Please view Risk Assessment for more information.
Guidance has been produced for people who provide close contact services, including hairdressers, barbers, beauticians, tattooists, sports and massage therapists, dress fitters, tailors and fashion designers.
- Guidance for all sectors
- Close contact services
- Reopening salons and spas following lockdown: reducing risks of COVID-19 and other considerations
- Cosmetic Practitioners
- Hairdressers & Barber
- Salon Guidance
- FREE Training - Control of Cross-infection in a Post-COVID-19 World
- Habia (hair and beauty industry authority) has useful advice and guidance to help the beauty industry re-open safely.
Although it is very unlikely that coronavirus is transmitted through food, anyone handling food should continue to follow good hygiene practices. More information on how to do this can be found at:
- Guidance for all sectors
- Reopening and adapting your food business during COVID-19
- Guidance for food businesses on coronavirus
- Restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services
- Food delivery and takeaway guidance
- Shops and branches
- Advice and Risk Assessments For Hospitality Businesses
- Workplace Guidance for Pubs - FAQs
These checklists will help you to put in place measures in your workplace to keep both employees and customers safe:
You will need to consider closing your business if you are not able to introduce sufficient measures to control the risk from coronavirus.
It is important that everyone understands how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic. You can find more information on the Government’s website:
- Guidance for all sectors
- Close contact services
- Construction and other outdoor work
- Factories, plants and warehouses
- Heritage locations
- Hotels and other guest accommodation
- Labs and research facilities
- Offices and contact centres
- Other people's homes
- Shops and branches
- Vehicles
- The visitor economy
- Scottish Government Retail Guidance
- Guidance for managing playgrounds and outdoor gyms
- Multi-purpose Community Facilities
- Performing Arts
- Places of Worship
- Providers of Grassroots Sport and Gym/leisure Facilities
The NHS test and trace service:
- provides testing for anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus to find out if they have the virus
- gets in touch with anyone who has had a positive test result to help them share information about any close recent contacts they have had
- alerts those contacts, where necessary, and notifies them they need to self-isolate to help stop the spread of the virus
You can find more information on the Government’s website about NHS test and trace
Organisations in certain sectors should collect details and maintain records of staff, customers and visitors on their premises to support NHS Test and Trace. You can find more information on the Government’s website about maintaining records
Venues in hospitality e.g. cafes, restaurants, pubs, the tourism and leisure industry, close contact services and local authority facilities must now display an official NHS QR code poster so that customers and visitors can ‘check in’. It is encouraged that all customers, where possible, use this NHS QR Code.
Employers, the self-employed and people in control of premises, have a duty to identify and control risks associated with legionella. These guidance documents will help all organisations that rely on a safe water supply to undertake their business activities to consider the risk and implemented additional control measures.
The government has introduced draft guidance: pavement licences to streamline the process and make it cheaper for businesses such as cafes, restaurants and bars to secure a licence to place furniture on the highway. This will support them to operate safely while social distancing measures remain in place.
If you want to place an A-Board, Tables and Chairs and Goods on part of the Public Highway you will require a licence from Wolverhampton Council. You can find out more information on the Licensing page or by contacting Licensing
Please visit Working Safely During Coronavirus Covid-19 Updates to find the most recent COVID guidance