Morecambe pub shuts after staff member and customer test positive for Covid-19

The pub, in Glentworth Road, announced on Wednesday, October 14 that a customer who had visited the pub had tested positive, but was "safe and well".

The pub carried out a deep clean, and said it was operating safely within government guidelines.

On October 17, it announced a member of staff had also tested positive.

The pub said: "As many of you may have heard, we have had a positive case of COVID-19 here at The William Mitchell.

Unfortunately, it is a member of our team.

"In order to keep our community safe, numerous members of our staff are taking the precaution to self-isolate for 14 days since the last point of contact.

"As we have many strategies in place, we know that the likeliness of anyone else having a positive test is minimal.

"We are airing (sic) on the side of caution, and if our team self-isolating can help keep our community safe then obviously this is the right thing to do.

"We have been working alongside EHO Lancaster to make sure that all the steps we have taken are correct and in line with government guidelines.

"We cannot thank them enough for their support and guidance.

"The pub itself can open, once we can get enough staff to cover, although after a Tier 3 announcement later on today, we are not sure how this will run."

A spokesperson for Lancaster City Council said: “Further to discussions between the council’s Environmental Health team and staff at The William Mitchell public house on Wednesday 14th October, a number of the business’s staff members were identified as close contacts of a colleague who had tested positive for Covid 19.

"Consequently these staff members have been advised to self-isolate for the relevant period.

"The business has not been ordered to close by Environmental Health, however the pub has made the decision to close temporarily whilst a number of its staff are in self-isolation.”