Advice for businesses

Visit Safe White

Read about support for local businesses

Test Trace Protect guidance

Keeping records

Certain businesses are required by law to record contact details of people entering their premises and make those details available to public health officers for up to 21 days. This comes under regulations which came into force on 17 August 2020.

Contact details retained must be detailed enough to enable people to be contacted if required and must include the following information:

  • Name

  • Telephone number

  • Date of arrival and departure

  • Time of arrival and departure

Details of employees, visitors, tradesmen working at the premises and customers must also be recorded and kept for 21 days.

It is not necessary to record the details of people making deliveries to the premises or where customers are collecting takeaway products.

If customers or visitors are part of a group of people forming a household or extended household, the name and contact details of only one member of the household – the ‘lead member’ – needs to be recorded and kept.

Communicating to customers

You should explain to people why their details are being recorded.  This can be either verbally in person, via your website or by placing notices on your premises with the relevant information.

The legal obligation is on businesses to record and keep relevant contact details.

If a someone refuses to provide their details, or if you have reason to believe that they may be providing false details, they should not be allowed on the premises.

The requirement applies to the following businesses*:

  • hospitality, including pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes (if a premises provides a sit-in and takeaway offer, the contact details of those customers sitting in will need to be recorded and kept)

  • cinemas

  • close contact services including hairdressers, barbers, beauticians, tattooists, sports and massage therapists

  • swimming pools, indoor fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centres or facilities

  • casinos

  • bingo halls

*This list is not exclusive and other businesses could be required to comply if it is reasonable for them to be expected to do so.

Our public protection enforcement officers will contact and/or visit relevant businesses to ensure these requirements are being complied with.

If businesses are found not to be complying various sanctions may result including the issuing of improvement or closure notices.

For more information on TTP visit the Welsh Government website 

Read the Welsh Government's coronavirus advice to business and employers for further information. 

We appreciate the huge challenges Newport businesses have faced and we will continue to support as you reopen and help our local economy to recover.

Changes to Newport city centre

Following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in Wales, we have been working with local businesses to create a safe environment for visitors and shoppers.

There are changes to pedestrianised areas to support social distancing and improve the safety of visitors.

Additional barriers have been installed at key points to increase pedestrian areas in the city centre.

Vehicle access will be restricted to business deliveries between 6am and 10am in these streets.

The changes allow more safe space for shoppers as well as supporting more pubs, restaurants and cafés to start offering outdoor services.

The council's pavement policy has been adapted to allow additional outdoor trading, barriers will be provided to businesses who offer outdorr services.

The barriers help provide a managed outdoor space and will remind customers how they can visit and shop safely in Newport.

View a map of the city centre changes. 

Social distancing

Responsible businesses will be aware of their duty to take all reasonable steps to ensure social distancing.

As a minimum, in order to trade and stay open, businesses are required to:

  • Consider the maximum number of customers that can safely be allowed onto the premises, and take steps to avoid exceeding this limit

  • Keep the recommended distance between people queueing to enter the premises or any adjacent building

  • Maintain the recommended distance between customers and staff on the premises

Remember that two people from the same household, plus any carer and the person they are assisting, do not have to distance from each other. 

Ensuring children keep their distance from other people is the responsibility of the accompanying adult.

Council officers will monitor commercial areas to ensure that people are able to return to their preferred locations safely. 

They will provide guidance and advice, highlight where improvements can be made and respond to reports of possible breaches.

For more guidance on social distancing for your business or to report a breach please call 01633 414970.

Additional information 

Retail

Read the Welsh Government's coronavirus advice to retailers for further advice and suggested measures. 

Tourism and hospitality 

The council has adapted its current pavement policy to allow additional outdoor trading, and has provided physical barriers to businesses who would like to serve customers outside. 

Businesses are advised to offer a booking system wherever possible, see information about Bookinglive below.

Read the Welsh Government’s coronavirus advice for tourism and hospitality

We’re Good To Go

'We’re Good To Go' is the official UK mark to signal that a tourism and hospitality business has worked hard to follow government and industry Covid-19 guidelines and has a process in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.

Businesses in Wales can apply to the Good to Go scheme

GoodToGoLogo

 

We’d like to see all businesses in Newport awarded this mark to give residents and visitors confidence. 

Bookinglive

Local company Bookinglive, one of Wales' top 50 tech companies, is making their scheduling software available free of charge to local businesses.

The sign-up process is simple, register for Bookinglive.

Once signed up, let your customers know by printing and displaying the Bookinglive poster. 

Business improvement district

Read how Newport Now, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), is supporting its members.