Babul’s restaurant certified covid-secure after investing £10k
Credit: Babul’s
A Halal-friendly restaurant in Teesdale has been awarded for going “through every possible procedure” to successfully meet the Government’s covid-19 risk assessment guidelines.
Babul’s was certified ‘We’re Good To Go’ by the national tourist organisations of Great Britain and Northern Ireland after implementing its ’10 Covid Commandments’.
But Creative Director Zak Ahmed has revealed that the family-run business is now “hanging on by the skin of our teeth” after investing almost £10k to safely reopen last Wednesday.
Located in the popular tourist town of Barnard Castle, the Indian restaurant’s “decision to delay opening and put these measures in place was vindicated”, Mr Ahmed told FtLion.
Calling it a “moral obligation to ensure that everyone’s safety is a priority”, Mr Ahmed said: “This is money we felt we had to invest in order to keep lives safe and customer confidence high.”
The scheme was launched by the Government in June to help businesses adhere to public health guidance and instill a “ring of confidence” within returning customers and tourists.
Tourism Minister, Nigel Huddleston, said at the time: “I want to encourage the public to experience a great British holiday this summer and be confident that they can do so safely.
“This new industry standard will show people that tourism businesses, destinations and attractions are adhering to the guidance. It puts safety first and is an important move in getting this industry back up and running.”
Babul’s is the second Halal restaurant to have invested so heavily in making its restaurant covid-secure after Royal Nawaab in London and Manchester reopened last week having spent 80k.
Mr Ahmed said: “We hope that our customers feel confident in the measures we have put in place and dine with us frequently.”
- Staff PPE & Regular Temperature Checks – All staff have quality PPE, are temperature-checked daily, and trained in safety measures.
- Anti-Viral Air Con –Anti-viral filters installed in air conditioning to actively kill germs in the atmosphere provided by the Air Con Croup.
- Deep Cleaning – Restaurant undergoes professional biological deep clean using Fogging process which kills bacteria and viruses for up to 30 days.
- Dedicated Cleaning Staff – Employing staff during service to frequently clean toilets, handrails, chairs and tables. Hand sanitising stations available throughout the restaurant.
- Contactless Ordering – Giving out single-use menus and introduction of a new table side ordering system to place orders.
- Crockery & Glasses – Cleaned using commercial grade glass washers and dish washers installed with sanitising detergent.
- Contactless Toilets – Toilets with contactless taps, flush and dispensers. Toilets area sanitised after each use and logged.
- Booking Slots – For tables and takeaways to avoid bottlenecks. Designated time slots allocated to each reservation.
- Social Distance Table Plans – Table layout will ensure distance is met, with protective screens where available.
- Track & Trace – Customer details taken as per government guidelines to help track and trace.
