ONE of Oxford’s top hotels is working hard to ensure it is ready to welcome guests after the coronavirus lockdown.
When the government imposed the restrictions at the end of March, to help prevent the spread of the virus, hotels were among the establishments deemed non-essential and they have temporarily closed, although some have been accommodating key workers and rough sleepers.
While there has been no announcement yet from the government indicating when hotels, pubs and restaurants can reopen, hoteliers and landlords are working behind the scenes to make sure they are ready to return.
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Jeremy Mogford owns the Old Bank in High Street, which includes Quod restaurant, The Old Parsonage and Gee’s.
In a newsletter to staff, he wrote: “It’s over six weeks since we had to close and I would like you to know that we are doing everything in our power to ensure that, when this is over, all of our businesses will be ready to reopen with a new energy and desire to take on the world and retain our rightful position as the best in the business.”
New ideas to promote the business include branding the hotels and restaurants The Oxford Collection, and a new cookbook of recipes is being produced.
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Patricia Yates, acting CEO of tourism organisation Visit Britain, warned that businesses like hotels needed at least a month’s warning before they would be able to reopen to guests - especially with new measures required in order to curb the spread of coronavirus. She said: “Opening will be slow process, with occupancy levels of 20-30 per cent to start with. The timelines are very different for different businesses.
“Hotels and pubs would need a four-week lead-in to get the supply chain set up and hotels will have to set up extra levels of cleaning now too.”
Mr Mogford added: “We don’t yet know when we will reopen and will keep you informed of our plans as and when we know more. As things stand, hopefully the worst that can happen is that our tables will have to be a little further apart. Luckily, we have space to do this, both inside and on our amazing terraces.”
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Some restaurants and diners have decided to close for the time being during lockdown while others have remained open to serve takeaways.
Together with the Old Bank and other local independent businesses, they are among those being backed by the Oxford Mail’s #StillopeninOxfordshire campaign, supporting staff working during lockdown.
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