DOBBIES will be reopening its restaurant in Dunfermline on Wednesday this week.

Safety and social distancing measures will be in place within the garden centre at Fife Leisure Park.

Tables and chairs have been laid out in the restaurants to ensure there is a safe distance between diners.

Customers will select their food then collect their covered meal from a dedicated food collection area, along with cutlery, wrapped straight from the dishwasher.

Dobbies say that there will be a dedicated 'safety champion' who will be solely responsible for ensuring all measures are being followed.

The 'safety champion' will be on hand to answer any questions and ensure all team members and customers feel safe at all times.

For the purposes of NHS Test and Protect, team members will ask customers for their contact information.    

Self-service coffee machines will not be in use, but baristas will be on hand to serve hot drinks. 

Dobbies will also be continuing with rigorous hygiene routines, with all trays and tables sanitised after use. Each restaurant has also taken additional steps when working with suppliers, with contact free and sanitised deliveries.

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “Following the successful re-opening of our garden centre on 29 May, we are well-placed to restart our restaurant operations in Scotland.

“The safety of our team members and customers remains Dobbies number one priority, which is why we have introduced the new role of Safety Champion. Not only do we want customers to feel safe, but we want them to have an enjoyable experience. 

“We look forward to welcoming customers back into our Dunfermline restaurant and would like to thank our team members and customers for following the measures we have implemented.”

Dobbies continues to follow government guidelines across the stores, with a limited number of customers permitted in store at one time.

A queuing system remains in operation outside each store, with markers in place to help maintain social distancing.

Hand sanitising and trolley cleaning stations are available at the store's entrance.

Protective screens remain installed at tills and customers are asked to pay with card or contactless.

Appropriate PPE has been provided for team members who are also receiving training and regular briefings on how to keep themselves and customers safe, with "rigorous hygiene routines" continuing throughout the stores. 

In recognition of the measures that have been put in place, all of the restaurants across the Dobbies estate have been accredited as AA COVID-19 confident.