“Freedom Day”
From Monday 19th July
NEW RULES AND CHANGES!
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, if you’re reading obviously this doesn’t apply to you, but to everyone who didn’t have the foresight to join the Bullingdon club, here’s the new rules from today.
NO MORE LIMITS ON TABLE SIZE other than how many friends you have and how many chairs we have. You don’t have to be less than 6 people inside, you don’t have to all be from the same household
TABLE SERVICE ONLY FOR FOOD, AND MAYBE FOR DRINKS We really like table service. We think its great for you, you sit there and we bring nice things to you, and it’s a really efficient system for us at the bar and kitchen so we will keep that going. Some may feel safer not queuing at the bar too. So all food service will be table service. But,
YOU CAN NOW ORDER DRINKS AT THE BAR. We will have waiters walking around taking orders the whole time but if you’d prefer to come to the bar to order you can do that now but,
PLEASE DO NOT STAND AND DRINK AT THE BAR, while we know people will like to do this, it also blocks off space in walkways and means prolonged close contact with staff, we’re eager to avoid anyone getting ill or pinged and us having to isolate and shut for 10 days.
NO MORE ONE WAY SYSTEMS OR ONE-IN-ONE-OUT TOILETS
NO MORE TRACK AND TRACE CHECK IN REQUIRED BUT OPTIONAL The QR code will be displayed in the entrance and we can bring one over to you if requested. It means you’ll get pinged if you are in the pub when someone who later tests positive for Covid is so you may want to do it, and some workplaces are asking people to do it, but it’s no longer something you need to do
MASKS NO LONGER REQUIRED BUT OPTIONAL This is entirely up to you now. All we ask is that you respect other people’s choices in the matter. If you see people wearing masks but you do not, please allow them their space. If people are not wearing masks but you are, just respect their decision and keep away from them.
The team will continue to wear masks for the immediate future to protect ourselves and others as we come into contact with a lot of people in the day. After the immediate future we will still carry masks and no team member will complain if you ask us to put one on.
Booking is not essential but a good idea because we may get busy.
A lot of the rules are being replaced by personal choice, so our biggest rule is RESPECT THE CHOICES OF OTHERS
Please feel free to drop any questions into the comments below, we’re happy to clarify
The Great Indoors
From Monday 17th April
You can now come in from the rain! Hopefully nearly the end of it now, but there’s just some rules still to bear in mind.
Rule of 6: It’s still the rules that groups of up to six people can meet inside, or two different households, any group larger must sit outside (again, we will not be booking “two tables of four next to each other” as with the best of intentions people do mingle between tables)
Up to 30 people outside: 30 is the top limit on tables sat outside. So if you’re more than six people you can still book but you will just need to wrap up warm
Table Service: You are allowed inside but you’re still not allowed to come up to the bar, we’ll show you to a seat and bring everything you need over to you.
Facemasks: Facemasks must be worn whenever you are not sat at your table
Track and Trace: You must give details for every adult in your party either through the NHS App or to a member of staff. This is a legal requirement now so we have to get details from every single person.
Reopening: Garden’s Only. April 12th
Does anybody remember pubs? They were a place you could go in the olden days and you could have proper beer from pumps, proper lager and cider on taps which is cold even if you haven’t remembered to put it in the fridge (home drinking sucks!), as well as a whole ton of gins and wines, and someone else would do the cooking and washing up for you while you had a good old chinwag with your friends.
Well we’re coming back! The government’s roadmap out of Coronavirus lockdown promised “data not dates,” so here are the dates they gave us…(McMullen’s brewery get in with Matt Hancock quickly, they’ll be looking for somewhere to organise a piss up soon)
From April 12th we can reopen, but only for outside seating.
So we’re going to spend the next month revamping our outside space. With a new Mediterranean outside Pizza Kitchen.
But obviously this will be less capacity than we would normally have, so we do recommend early booking, especially on those weekend days. You can book online here or call 01438 798100 from Monday 12th April (but please don’t phone before then, we’re all on furlough and not in the pub regularly enough to pick up the phone. Also give us a little time to respond to email, thanks).
Please note: there’s a limited number of tables under shelter and beside heaters so these tables will be allocated to the people who book first, tables with parasols will be the next to be booked out. And if your plans change and you can’t join us, we’d appreciate a call to cancel so we can give the table away.
We know the rules imposed by the government have been annoying and constantly changing of course, but we do think they are sensible to stop the spread of the virus so we’re going to quickly outline the rules as they currently stand, but it’s worth checking back here for changes before your visit:
Rule of Six – No groups more than six people (unless it’s one household or a bubble of two). While this rule still applies we don’t want to get into discussions about “two tables of four next to each other” or anything like that. We’re not interested in locking down again so let’s just keep out gatherings sensible for now.
1m+ – Please keep 2m distance from other guests and never come within 1m of them. Let people pass at a distance and remember others may be less confident or more worried about coming out than you are so give people their space
One Way System – We have a one way system in place inside the building for the toilets, please follow signs to avoid bumping into people coming the other way
Facemasks – We ask that you wear facemasks any time you stand up and move away from your table. While it is safer outside, having more people in a tight space brings risks with it and some may not be confident coming out yet, so this is a small way just to make it safer and everyone more comfortable.
Table-Service – We’ll be doing table service for everything in this time, so please don’t come up to the till and do not come inside to the bar for service, please grab a team members attention and let us come over to you.
10pm closing time – This one isn’t a government rule, but while we are an outside only business please respect our neighbours by leaving quietly at 10pm.
May 17th. Pubs Can Reopen Inside
We’ll update you nearer the time as to the rules of this one. It looks like we’ll be required to enforce rule of six and facemasks again, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves for now.
Tier 2: What it means for us
Updated: 26th November.
From our reopening after the second lockdown Hertfordshire finds it’s in Tier 2.
All of the rules outlined below and in previous government advice still applies unless directly contradicted here.
Pubs can only serve alcohol so long as it is an accompaniment to a main meal. You will not be able to come to the White Horse just for a drink during this time. The definition of a ‘substantial meal’ will be any item from the Main Course section of our menu or a tapas bundle when eaten by one person.
We’ll allocate a table to each booking for a window of two and a half hours, allowing you to have a drink before and after a meal while ensuring safe operating within the spirit of the law.
Pubs no longer have to close at 10pm. We can stay open until 11pm but only serving alcohol until 10pm. We will keep 10pm as our latest closing time (but as we’re in Winter Hours, most days we shut earlier anyway), as to remain open an hour without being able to sell our products does not make financial sense at this time, but guests will not be rushed out allowing them time to drink their final drinks and finish their conversations without being rushed.
In the spirit of the law and public safety, as well as to ensure our own safety and that of all of our customers, we will not allow “stacking” drinks, ie. ordering a lot of drinks at once before 10pm so you can continue drinking until 11pm. Last orders will consist of one drink per customer in order to safely ensure the rules are followed. As all meals will have been finished by this point anyway and as the rules have been bought in to prevent drunkenness which leads to social distancing being difficult to maintain, we feel this is a sensible policy.
Closing Weekday Evenings
Update: 9th October
During the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to weather the storm we will be battening down the hatches and we’ll be opening for lunch time service only from Monday – Thursday as the weekday winter evenings have traditionally been a quiet time for us, and now even more so. We thank everyone who has supported our business during the quieter times, and if you wish to continue to support us, you can visit our sister pub The Cowper Arms in Digswell when we are closed.
Rule of Six
Update: 14th September
From today it is against the law for groups of more than six to meet socially and anyone who does so faces a potential fine of £100 for a first offence and then an escalating scale.
The White Horse will from this day be taking bookings for no groups larger than six people. However if your household is larger than six we are able to accommodate you if you call ahead first.
We have been asked if we could take larger bookings on separate tables, eg. two tables of four, but we will not be doing this. The rules state that mingling between different groups in the pub is illegal and while separate tables always starts with the best will in the world, if you come to the pub with other people you will socialise with them. That’s what we’re for! And we are not prepared to risk the safety of our customers or our business. Thank you for your understanding.
As things are still uncertain looking to the future, we will take Christmas bookings for larger groups, then if we get closer to the time and we can’t make a booking work, we will fully refund a deposit or work with you to make something we can do within the rules.
Updated 29th June
The White Horse Covid Statement
As we prepare to reopen the White Horse for business, we will be making changes to our procedures and implementing new practices while doubling or tripling all of our usual safety procedures to ensure that we can reopen smoothly and safely on Saturday 4th July.
As well as everything outlined below we have completed a comprehensive risk assessment, new staff training and new instructions for staff and guests. We will include details of all of that on this page too, in the interests of transparency, clarity on the rules and to help all our staff and guests feel safe returning to the White Horse.
We appreciate that everyone’s experience with lockdown will be different. Many will emerge from a welcome break. Many will feel they cannot wait to get back to the pubs, others may feel a little anxious and nervous about returning. Please be patient with each other and our team as we slowly return, in baby steps, to get things back to normal. At the White Horse we will be respectful of everyone’s experience throughout these unprecedented times and hope that our brilliant guests will respect each other’s different experiences.
Covid Actions – What’s new?
We have followed PHE and government advice and implemented the following changes to our service to mitigate the risks to our guests, our workers and our suppliers.
- A full risk assessment has been carried out and will be available to read on this website
- We have considered safe capacity numbers, entrances, exits, the flow and direction of people through the building and the points at which crowds may develop, and implemented policy to mediate the risks posed here
- Every member of our team will complete training in the new rules and procedures implemented by the company to ensure a safe working environment for us and a safe visit for our guests
- Every member of the team has completed a return to work questionnaire to assess their health and readiness to return to work (detailed in our risk assessment how different answers are assessed to reach our conclusion.)
- Every member of the team will complete a fit to work health tracker before each shift
- We will constantly revise and update all training in response to the latest information form PHE (Public Health England)
- We will use PPE in accordance with government guidelines
- The effectiveness of facemasks is disputed and gloves are shown to often be worse. These will be optional to all team members and guests. Please respect each individual choice when it comes to PPE
- We will deliver further handwashing and cleaning regimes and monitoring
- All of our team have been given a long list of events after which they must wash their hands, and if none of those events have occurred in the last 20 minutes they must wash their hands every 20 minutes anyway. The full list is detailed in our risk assessment further down the page.
- Hand gen sanitizer will be provided for all of our guests. New fixed point sanitizer dispensers have been fitted at key places in the pub – by the front door, the back door, the restaurant entrance and the toilets.
- We have briefed the team on how to maintain social distancing and the changes required to our service to assist with that. The team will try to maintain a 2m distance at all times that it is possible or a minimum 1m distance if it is not. We will work at a distance or pass back to back when it is not possible.
- We have implemented a one way system in the pub, with set entrances and exits, to mitigate the chances of passing in close proximity of other guests
- We will not be resuming our live music or pub quiz nights for the immediate future until government guidance says it is safe to do so and we feel we can manage the capacity of such events safely
- Contactless payments are encouraged
- We will operate a table service policy and guests should not go to the bar.
- Guest numbers will be controlled
- We have reduced capacity and taken some tables out of use to maintain the levels of distance required of us.
- Guests must wait at the door to be shown to a table by our host
- We will operate a bookings only policy so that we can control the number of people in the pub at any given moment
- We will use test and trace forms to collect information in accordance with the government’s requests. This information will be kept for 21 days. Information entered on our booking system will be kept for longer in accordance with GDPR
- Signs will be places around the pub to remind and encourage you to follow the rules. These must be obeyed for everyone’s safety
- We will continue to monitor this ever changing situation and train team members, and update the documents on this webpage constantly to keep everyone informed of the latest guidance.
- We will work to promote both physical and mental health of our team and guests. Help from the licensed trade charity will be available to our team should they require it.
Distance
We are following the latest government advice regarding social distancing to make visiting the White Horse safe and stress free. We are arranging our seating plans and pub flow (the route you take through the premises) so that you can enjoy your space safely.
Everyone appreciates their own space, during your visit to the pub please be mindful of your fellow guests at all times, and be sure to allow space for others to enjoy, and be respectful of those who may be more cautious than yourself.
Contact Times
At all times during your visit contact time must be reduced to a minimum. We will take all orders at the table and ask you not to come to the bar. Food and drink will be delivered to you at the table.
Payments will be taken at the table where possible. Due to technology restrictions you may need to go closer to the bar at times, and screens will protect the bar staff and our guests during these transactions.
We will be using single use menus which will be recycled after use.
Hygiene
Our hygiene standards in this industry are already very rigorous but they will be enhanced with extra cleaning schedules detailed below.
If you spot something you think we’ve missed or a cleaning schedule displayed that hasn’t been signed please alert a member of the team or duty manager.
Health Tracker
Our teams will complete a daily health tracker before coming to work to ensure they are healthy and able to work safely with members of the public.
We have also undertaken extra training with all of our team.
We will continue to follow government advice in the event of illness.
We will continue to track the information of our guests in line with the government’s test and trace policy.
Thank you in advance for your understanding, patience and custom. Franko, Michaela, Nico and the White Horse Team.
23rd June
Boris Johnson announced today that the pub and restaurant industry will reopen on Saturday 4th of July. This is obviously very exciting news, but we must remember that while lockdown is being eased, this is not the end of Covid19. We’ve been working, throughout the last month of lockdown, on completing our risk assessments and formulating new plans and policies for how we will reopen. We will be posting those updates here on this page and on our social media over the next couple of weeks so that when we reopen all the new rules are followed for the safety of all of our guests.
One thing we know is there will be some level of social distancing still, and we will be limiting the numbers of people who can visit the pub at any one time. We will be asking people to queue at the door and be shown to a table by a member of staff. If we get very busy then we will have no choice but to turn people away at the door. We recommend that everyone who wishes to come to the pub books in advance. Currently with the team still furloughed the phones are unmanned, though someone will be able to answer from next week, but you can book via the website now. Just click here to go to the booking page.
Thank you for your understanding and helping us to follow the rules so everyone can remain safe at the White Horse. We will be giving more updates soon, and below are some of our previous posts, so you can see how seriously we treated the situation before. We hope that constant communication will help to ensure everyone can feel confident venturing back into their local after a long absence.
Best of health to you all,
Franko, Nico, Michaela & all the team at the White Horse
20th March
As I’m sure you’ve seen by now, from tomorrow pubs have been asked to close. Its obviously heartbreaking but the right thing for these unprecedented times.
We want to thank all of our loyal guests who have supported us through this time and since forever. Its always been a pleasure to be a part of this community.
But rest assured, we will be back. And we’re gonna have such a good time with you when we are.
Watch this space for more news on what happens next.
Stay safe. Thank you for your custom and kindness. See you soon.
19th March
We wanted to reassure all of you that we’re paying close attention to all of the measures suggested by Public Health England and the World Health Organisation in these ever changing times.
The good news is that we have always taken food hygiene and safety very seriously and already had strict rules for that kind of thing, this has been intensified in the current crisis, with enhanced hygiene and deep cleaning procedures. We’re also implementing social distancing where we can. This means that we’ll try to seat people a little bit apart from each other for some increased breathing space and will limit the amount of people we allow to be in the same area of the pub if things get busy. All of our cutlery, crockery, and glass washing devices operate at above 85 degrees and we have had no difficulty getting the cleaning chemicals we need.
We ask all of our guests to please be mindful of healthy practices and follow any health advice issued to protect themselves, our team and our other guests, especially those who may be more vulnerable.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
16th March
A quick message about today’s (16th March) Corona update.
The government has told people to avoid pubs but told pubs not to close. We will not be running any special events until the current situation is over. The pub will remain open for our usual winter opening times, and we will be reviewing the situation every day to make sure we can provide a safe environment for all of our guests and staff. We ask for your help by following any advice given by the government, health professionals and our team.
Currently anyone with symptoms of Covid19 (specifically a persistent cough and/or fever/temperature) should isolate themselves and their household for 14 days. Please help us by spreading out around the pub, allowing extra breathing space between all groups and not congregating in areas of heavy traffic such as around the bar.
Thank you for your help and understanding at the moment. We will keep you informed of any updates. Best wishes and best of health to you all