People entering some popular Harrogate food and drink venues will be required to have temperature checks from today as part of new measures to combat covid.
The Fat Badger pub, the Yorkshire Hotel, the White Hart Hotel and the restaurant Scran will all operate temperature checks.
New machines will instantly record the body temperature of visitors by scanning their wrists.
If anyone’s temperature exceeds 37.5 degrees centigrade, a red light will appear and the machine will beep loudly to indicate a high temperature – one of the main symptoms of covid.
The person will then be asked to leave the building for 15 minutes before having a second test, in case the first result was an anomaly caused by, for instance, carrying heavy shopping.
If their temperature remains too high they will be refused entry.
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Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group, which owns the venues that have installed the new technology, said:
“We think it’s the right time now with covid cases increasing to be stepping up our measures. We want to do it before we are instructed to do so.”
Besides installing the machines, which Mr Cotton said cost several hundred pounds each, HRH Group venues have also required staff to wear face masks in public areas unless they are working behind protective screens.
Who else has tests?
Rudding Park and The Ivy are the only other two Harrogate venues believed to check temperature on entry.
Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park, said:
“Guests feel reassured by the machines. You don’t want people with a raging temperature coming in and coughing over everyone.”
David Straker, the owner of William and Victoria restaurant and wine bar on Cold Bath Road, said its current safety measures, which include table bookings and no standing at the bar, were working well. But he added:
“We are always looking at ways we can improve.”
Alan Huddart, treasurer of Bilton Working Men’s Club, said its reopening had gone smoothly and the cost of new equipment, such as temperature scanners, could be prohibitive to some venues. He added:
“We are open to looking at anything but we have had a professional risk assessment done and are following it closely.”
