So the time has come and you're ready to get your site operational once again. To help your reopening be as smooth as possible, we’ve created a list of things that you may need to be do beforehand.
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Carry out maintenance and get equipment up and running
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Notify your landlord, insurer, suppliers, staff and customers
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Prepare your stock and get the site ready to serve
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Have a good clean and set up hand-washing stations
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Run final checks and ensure you're fully compliant
A week before reopening
- Review the government guidance here.
- Assess the site for any maintenance needs.
- Take a stock check and place your orders.
- Give notice to a landlord, insurer or supplier that needs to know you’re reopening.
- Inform your customers that you will be reopening.
- Start taking bookings.
Plan how you will keep a record of visitors as required.
The opening week
- Make a note of all meter readings.
- Turn on water and gas mains.
- Open taps and allow water to run gently for 10 minutes.
- Check gas supply is reaching kitchen equipment.
- Turn on heating and boiler, check the hot water and radiators after two hours.
- Once heating is off again, turn on and check air-conditioning.
- Clean fridges and freezers and turn one on at a time.
- Check back to see if fridges have cooled to the required temperature.
- Clean glass and dishwashers, turn on and allow to start up.
- Run three empty glass or dishwashing cycles and return to regular use.
- Clean the ice machine, turn on and leave to fill.
- Turn on other electrical items one by one and test.
- Make any changes needed to the layout of your venue, for example, spacing and moving tables.
- Check soap dispensers and water temperature.
- Test fire alarms and security systems.
The days before reopening
- Move stock back to the fridges and back bar.
- Return cash and valuable items back the site.
Reconnect and clean beer lines
- Turn the cellar cooling on.
- Turn on the beer coolers and gas system.
- Clean the beer lines in line with your standard process.
- When the lines are clean, flush with water.
- Connect the couplers to kegs that are in date.
- The beer cooler will be ready to dispense at the correct temperature within 2 hours.
Reconnect and clean post-mix equipment
- Connect in-date syrups for each brand.
- Turn on the water supply to the equipment.
- Turn on your CO2 supply to equipment.
- Turn the equipment on at the electrical supply.
- Flush through 2 litres, or 4 pints of each brand
- Carry out a taste test and ensure carbonation levels are acceptable.
- The system is now ready for regular use.
Perform a comprehensive clean down of the premises
- Perform a thorough clean of your venue.
- Wipe down all bottles and all surfaces.
- Wipe draught taps with warm soapy water.
- Sanitise bar and tabletops, allow them to air dry.
- Run all equipment through the glass/dishwasher.
- Run through a typical kitchen deep-clean.
- Remove any dirty cloths and linens for washing.
- Empty all bins, give them a rinse and put all bags in the bin.
The final few things
- Clean your outside areas.
- Remove any notes from your door.
- Update your website and online listings with new hours.
- Update answering machine, social media and email out-of-office.
- Wipe menus and table caddies, keeping these away from customer areas.
- Set up a hand-washing or hand sanitiser station for customers.
- Check your complying with all necessary restrictions.
- Define an isolation area, ideally an empty room, staff room or office, to take anyone immediately to in the event they feel unwell once you’ve reopened;
- Ensure this room can be closed off.
- Ensure this room contains tissues and hand-washing facilities.
- Ensure this room has bins and a first-aid box.
The day of reopening
- Put out any outside furniture or equipment.
- Ensure all surfaces, handles and items are wiped clean.
- Run through new hygiene and safety procedures with staff.
- Place a notice at the entrance to your venue detailing your actions and any restrictions in place.
- Create your NHS 'Test and Trace' QR code check-in signs and place at entrances.