How will haircuts, pubs and restaurants be different after 4th July? Theo's Night Out
25 June 2020, 07:54 | Updated: 25 June 2020, 10:58
Nick Ferrari wanted to find out how life in the UK will be different after 4th July when businesses start to re-open - so he sent Theo Usherwood to find out.
For Theo Usherwood's Big Night Out, LBC's political correspondent will first go to a barber to get his hair cut, before going for a drink and then to a restaurant.
He will find out what measures the businesses have in place to maintain social distancing guidelines and keep customers safe as they re-open.
How will hair salons be different?
Theo went to Hestory Men's Grooming in Mayfair, where a lot of the hedge fund managers go to look their best before a night out. Tariq explained how things will change when they re-open next week.
He said: "I'm wearing a facemask and on top is a plastic face shield, which I will have to wear for every hair cut. I will also have to wear rubber gloves, which does make it harder.
"We have had to raise the prices, because the PPE costs us money, so we have had to increase prices just to break even. A short back and sides used to be £24 here. It will now be £28.
"We can't have walk-ins any more, so we will only be able to accept customers with appointments.
"Luckily, it's looking very busy. Everyone wants to have their hair cut.
How will pubs be different when they re-open?
Next in Theo's night out, he went to the Lyric Pub on Great Windmill Street in Soho, famous for being the place where Karl Marx drank.
They have put in place a number of measures to keep customers safe, including a perspex screen at the bar.
Tables are placed two metres apart and they have to be reserved in 105-minute bookings. Then drinks are ordered via an app and brought directly to the table to avoid queuing.
Staff will have their temperature taken three times during their shift to make sure they are healthy.
And there's one rule which may surprise people - there will be no shots. Bar manager Kieran explained that he wanted the customers to have a good time - but not too quickly.
How will pubs be different when they re-open?
Last on Theo's night out, he visited the Oysterman, the restaurant of the year last year, to find out how a meal out would change after 4th July.
The removal of the two-metre rule is vital for restaurants. If that was still in place, instead of 47 seats, they would have had to go down to 12 and that would mean they couldn't even break even.
With one-metre-plus, they can fit 20 and are hoping to double that with use of their outside space if they get licenses from the local council.
One concern, owner Matt warns that the Congestion Charge is a kick in the teeth for businesses in central London, after it was increased and extended to seven days a week and to 10pm.
He said: "It's going to decimate the West End."
