A NEWPORT bowling alley has been caught breaching coronavirus regulations.

When Newport City Council inspectors visited Superbowl UK in Friars Walk, Newport on Friday, June 18, they found track, trace and protect measures “were insufficiently monitored/managed to ensure accuracy.”

Along with this, they found that customers were standing while consuming drinks inside, that seating areas in the premises were not suitably distanced to allow for the two-metre social distance rule, and an insufficient number of staff were on hand to monitor and control adherence to reasonable measures.

Customers were also seen moving around inside the premises while not wearing face coverings.

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The venue was handed an improvement notice giving it 48 hours to make improvements or face being closed down.

The required improvements were:

  • Take all reasonable measures to effectively record customers' names and contact details as required by the track, trace and protect scheme, either through manual recording, the use of a premises specific QR code (not NHS QR) (and the information can be accessed on demand) or the combination of both, and the system is monitored to ensure accuracy.
  • Take reasonable measures to ensure customers are seated, including signage, and deny service to people consistently ignoring the requirements.
  • Ensure the layout of tables and chairs inside the premises is conducive to social distancing with regard the access and egress of customers moving around the premises.
  • Either remove tables, or otherwise restrict the use of tables to ensure that customers seated inside the premises can adhere to social distancing. Alternatively, and only where suitable, mitigation (e.g. the use of screening) can be utilised.
  • Manage staffing levels to ensure sufficient staff are on duty to be able to manage reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus adequately.
  • Social distancing should be enforced between alleys or every other alley closed to ensure social distancing.
  • Pool tables should be booked at the bar or reception area. All equipment should be stored behind the bar/reception area and should be fully sanitised alongside the pool table after each customer. Only two customers are permitted at the pool tables and social distance and masks are required when customers playing pool.
  • Take all reasonable measures to ensure face coverings are worn by customers required to wear them, when moving around inside the premises, including signage and denial of service to persons consistently ignoring the requirements.
  • The level of music from either recorded music or gaming machines must be set at background level.
  • Social distancing at gaming machines should be in place and regular cleaning after a customer has used the gaming machines.