We are excited to be able to expand our offering from Saturday July 4th.
Coronavirus is still a real threat and we are being very careful with the steps we’re taking towards reopening. We’ll be changing the way we serve you from this weekend, and increasing the range of food and drinks on offer, and offering outdoor seating – but it is still not a return to ‘normal’ and we’ll be taking a lot of precautions to keep you, and our staff, as safe as possible.
No Indoor Seating Yet
“1m+” seems to be widely discussed as 1m in the press, but the government guidelines are very clear that spacing must still be 2m unless there are mitigating step such as screens or PPE in use. Consequently we can’t fit more than a small handful of tables into the cafe – and this is reduced further as we need to use a lot of the internal space for service areas, in order to maintain safe staff distancing. So, unfortunately, for the foreseeable future we won’t have any seating for you to sit inside the cafe.
Takeaway Service, with Outdoor Seating
We will continue to operate as a takeaway, using takeaway packaging (we hate the waste, but we can’t maintain safe staff spacing at busy times whilst washing up all the plates and cups…). But if you’re buying food you will be able to use our outdoor seating, which we will keep sanitised after each set of customers.
We are hoping to increase the amount of seating outside too – Berry Head is a heavily protected nature reserve which complicates this, but we’re working with the Trust rangers.
We will have picnic blankets available and there are lots of places to sit outside on Berry Head if you want to walk a little further away.
New queuing system
If you visit us from Saturday you’ll see a new system for ordering, with the queue coming inside the cafe, via the cake and ice cream display areas, and then exiting through a side door (NB we are making provision for customers who can’t manage the step down out of the cafe). We’re installing new screens to keep the staff at the till safe. There will be sanitiser as you come in and clear queuing signage to keep other customers 2m away from you.
Expanded menu
We’re changing around the kitchen and coffee areas to allow us two chefs, and two baristas on busy days. So we can add some new food options: the full English will be returning! Plus we’ll have milkshakes and cream teas back on the menu for the first time since March.
Berry Head Welcomes Considerate Visitors!
We know everyone is excited to finally get out and about again, and we can’t wait to see you.
Please, while you’re visiting us do be a considerate visitor. This weird situation where we aren’t allowed to get close to each other is just as difficult for us as it is for you; our whole ethos is based on customer service and to not be able to serve people as well as we would like is really tough. We are doing everything we can to stay Covid-secure and look after you and our team. Please help us by staying alert, staying 2m away from other people, and taking care with simple steps like hand hygeine.
Please also help us keep Berry Head tidy by using the bins we provide for all your waste.