Council catches two more businesses breaching coronavirus regulations in Bridgend

OFFICIALS have issued warnings to another two businesses in Bridgend county borough for breaching coronavirus regulations.

Council workers found staff working without face masks at convenience store Lifestyle Express, Tynewydd Row, Ogmore Vale, and takeaway restaurant Peppino’s Pizza, Nant-y-moel, on February 05.

The Shared Regulatory Service (SRS) gave improvement notices to both businesses and gave them 48 hours to comply with the guidelines.

The SRS also gave an improvement notice to Peppinos Nant-y-moel on December 18 because four members of staff were working closely without masks.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached the SRS for details on the number of staff members caught working without masks at each premise on February 05 and whether any workers were medically exempt from wearing masks. The SRS declined to comment.

The SRS, a partnership between South Wales Police and Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan councils, carries out checks on licensed premises to ensure they comply with government guidelines.

The SRS has issued 67 improvement notices to businesses in Bridgend county borough and temporarily closed four for breaching Welsh Government coronavirus rules.

The service has also given 50 notices to businesses in Cardiff and 45 to businesses in the Vale of Glamorgan.

So far, no businesses have been permanently closed by the SRS for breaching coronavirus regulations in Bridgend.

Businesses are usually given 48 hours to comply with the terms of an improvement notice. Failure to comply can result in closure, a fixed penalty notice, or being taken to court.

The Welsh Government website states staff working in indoor public spaces must wear masks “if they are in an area accessible to the public”.

It also states staff who are not facing the public may also need to wear face coverings “if physical distancing cannot be maintained”.

For example, employers may require staff to wear masks indoors “as a reasonable measure to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus on the premises unless there are strong reasons not to”.