Preston Wetherspoons confirms Covid cases with 19 staff self-isolating

The pub chain said four staff have tested positive and a further 15 have been exposed and will stay at home for the next 10 days as a precaution.

But today (Tuesday, June 8), Wetherspoons told the Post that the city centre pub will remain open.

A Wetherspoons spokesman said: "We can confirm that four members of staff have tested positive for Covid-19 at The Twelve Tellers in Preston.

"In accordance with NHS guidelines, these employees are required to self-isolate for the requisite 10-day period.

"Wetherspoon has notified Public Health England of the positive results. Wetherspoon wishes the employees a full and speedy recovery.

"As a precaution, in accordance with public health guidelines, 15 other members of staff who may have come into close contact with the employees who tested positive have also been asked to self-isolate for 10 days.

"Close contact means being within two metres of a person who tested positive for the virus for 15 minutes or more or within one metre for one minute or more.

"In these circumstances, it has typically not been the advice of the health authorities to close the premises."

Wetherspoons said staff have been adhering to all hygiene and safety guidelines to "minimise the risk" to customers, but said that it is "not possible to create an entirely risk-free environment".

A spokesman for the chain said: "The operating procedures and hygiene practices implemented by the company mean that all hand contact points are frequently cleaned and sanitised throughout the day. Pubs are also thoroughly cleaned at the end of every trading day.

"In addition, Wetherspoon has implemented a number of social distancing measures in all its pubs. These include; reduced capacity levels, the spacing out of tables and the installation of a number of floor screens between tables.

"While it is not possible to create an entirely risk-free environment, adherence to social distancing guidelines and rigorous implementation of hygiene standards minimises the risk."

It is the third pub in the Preston area where staff have tested positive in recent days.

Today (Tuesday, June 8), The Vic in Lostock Hall has confirmed that it has shut for 10 days after its landlord tested positive at the weekend.

And on Saturday (June 5), the Hunters pub in Walton-le-Dale was forced to shut its doors after an outbreak among its staff and management.

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