---
title: How SPARK can get you reopen ready
description: Take a look at SPARK’s Covid safe products, Spark Pay and Mobile Ordering, to prepare your hospitality business for the 17th of May and the 21st of June!
---

[SPARK EPoS | Blog](https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog)

# [How SPARK can get you reopen ready](https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog/how-spark-can-get-you-reopen-ready-0)

 Written by [Team SPARK](https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog/author/team-spark) | Apr 20, 2021 9:39:16 AM

 

Finally! **Hospitality is opening again!** From the 12th of April outdoor areas at hospitality venues can reopen to serve customers in **groups of up to six people.**

Beer gardens and restaurant terraces have opened for business, where **customers can sit outside**, order through** table service,** and are permitted to use the restroom facilities inside. At any premises, customers must order, eat, and drink seated. There will also be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks and there will be **no curfew**.

**What is considered as 'Outdoors'?**

Shelters, Marquees, and other types of temporary coverings like this can have a roof but need to have at least 50% of the area of the walls open at all times.

Some popular pubs in Newcastle that have reopened their doors from the 12th are: By The River Brew CO, The Dog & Parrot, City Tavern, and Tyne Bar.

**May 17th Indoors **

However, from the 17th of May there are changes for the hospitality industry where we will see **step three** of the **lockdown roadmap**:

- The **Rule of Six** will come into effect **indoors**
- **Indoor seating can resume** in pubs and restaurants

This will mean that all pubs that don't have outdoor seating will be able to open again. Venues will not have to serve a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks; nor will there be a curfew. Customers will, however, have to order, eat and drink while seated.

**Table spacing (floor plan)**

Due to **COVID-19** hospitality venues have needed to rearrange their table spacing to be in line with **social distancing**. Providing socially distanced seating and hand sanitiser stations is now essential to keep everyone safe. For this reason, **[reservations](https://www.sparkepos.com/reservations/) should be encouraged** now more than ever, so businesses can have a more structured plan, and enforce seating time limits.

 

For more information, [Book a Demo Today!](https://www.sparkepos.com/book-a-demo/)

**Reduce contact**

Introducing [contactless payments](https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog/how-cashless-payment-options-benefit-hospitality) to **reduce contact**.

This method of payment is becoming a more convenient and efficient way to pay, the benefits are:

- Less queuing and waiting time for customers
- Customers can remain seated
- Staff will have better **control** and **time management**
- **Quicker** and **safer** transactions

**People safety **

Being in a national lockdown has affected everyone. Recent studies from the Office for National Statistics show that 37.25% of people have experienced high levels of anxiety in Great Britain from the 20th - 25th January 2021. We all understand how challenging 2020 has been, and businesses will want to make 2021 as **normal** and **relaxed** as possible for themselves and their customers when opening.

To do this, new measures have been gently put into place over the last year: creating a **one way system** inside to use the restrooms will be very important, and **reducing queuing** throughout by getting customers to pay at their table instead of going to the bar.

 

[Learn more about SPARK's handheld devices today!](https://www.sparkepos.com/spark-handheld/)

 

**Customer outlook.**

We had a look at what pub owners and customers have said about re-opening businesses:

Scott Westlake, the landlord of the Myrtle Tavern in Leeds, said "The pub had received 5,000 bookings over the next month as coronavirus restrictions ease across England."

Mr Westlake said: "If the weather's good, I think most people are optimistic and excited."

"Atmosphere, ambiance, seeing your mates, I think they (customers) are looking forward to that more than anything - and they'll sit in a blizzard for the first few days at least."

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leeds-56725496](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leeds-56725496)

A student from Leeds said, "It feels amazing, this is the first time going out and actually having a life."

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56710858](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56710858)

**Products suited to reopening?**

[SPARK's Mobile Ordering system](https://www.sparkepos.com/mobile-ordering/) will help venues be **covid secure** as the self-Ordering technology reduces unnecessary physical touch-points. It allows customers to scan a **QR code** and place orders using their mobile device where they have full access to a menu without downloading any apps. By using **mobile self-Ordering** and payments this reduces labour and costs, and most importantly **reduces the risk of COVID-19** transmission by having fewer contact points between customers and waiting staff.

[SPARK Pay](https://www.sparkepos.com/spark-pay/), a handheld device that has many features:

- Contactless payments
- Bill splitting
- **Covid friendly**, making it **safe** for customers and staff
- Giving you a receipt at the end (which can be **customised**)
- [Accept different payment methods](https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog/how-cashless-payment-options-benefit-hospitality)

Our **cutting-edge technology** ensures that the system is regularly updated, all for free!

 

[See how SPARK Pay can boost your business today!](https://www.sparkepos.com/spark-pay/)

 

**June 21st Back to normal**

From the 21st of June, the government hopes to reopen nightclubs, ease the restrictions on large events and performances, and have **no legal limits on social contact.** However, as we move through the roadmap, **COVID-19** will remain in our lives and we are going to have to still take precautions to keep ourselves and others safe by carrying on the **"Hands, Face, Space".**

**How SPARK can help your venue**

**SPARK EPoS** can be specifically tailored to your hospitality needs, accommodating your **customer’s requests.** For example making their experience more personalised by creating a **CRM profile**, pre-empting their needs, customising meals/drinks if they have any specific **allergies/intolerances**.

Staff can create notes on customers that arrive at your venue, such as they might prefer a window seat, or a bottle of wine at their table on arrival. All of this preparation creates good customer management which is essential for hospitality businesses. With **SPARK** technology you will be able to do this, at an **affordable price.**

[View full post](https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog/how-spark-can-get-you-reopen-ready-0)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Team SPARK"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2021-04-20T09:39:16.306Z",
  "datePublished" : "2021-04-20T09:39:16Z",
  "headline" : "How SPARK can get you reopen ready",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 491,
    "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/6083570/Road%20map%20for%20hospitalityfix2-1.png",
    "width" : 705
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.sparkepos.com/blog/how-spark-can-get-you-reopen-ready-0",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60.0,
      "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/6083570/300*92%20Mobile%20Icon.png",
      "width" : 195.65218
    },
    "name" : "SPARK EPoS Blog"
  }
}
```