The Star Inn in St. James, United Kingdom, has reportedly installed an electric fence to enforce social distancing between bartenders and patrons.
The Cornish pub using electric fencing to keep people away from the bar and follow #SocialDistancing rules – but is it switched on?@tamsinmelville asked but Jonny McFadden at the Star Inn in St Just wasn’t saying
Listen back to the interview here
⚡️ https://t.co/gmaM5dw7P3 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/fraEYP1xqC— BBC Radio Cornwall (@BBCCornwall) July 13, 2020
“Before the fence, people were not following social-distancing and were doing as they pleased, but now people take heed to the guidance around social distancing,” Johnny McFadden, landlord of the Star Inn, said to Cornwall Live. McFadden reportedly said that the fence was switched off, but could be turned on at any moment. (RELATED: South Africa Bans Alcohol For Second Time As Coronavirus Cases Rise)
A few people told Cornwall Live that they had been shocked by the fence Saturday night after having “one too many pints.” The Star Inn’s website, according to Cornwall Live, says that “a friendly welcome (is) assured” but does not mention the fence.
Officials have warned that enclosed areas like bars are particularly susceptible to spreading the coronavirus, per the New York Post. People reportedly speak louder at bars, causing them to emit more aerosols and more chances of infecting other patrons.
If you ignore social distancing rules at The Star Inn in St Just then you’re in for a shock…literally https://t.co/QiBb2EqkzH
— Cornwall LIVE (@CornwallLive) July 12, 2020
“We do know social distancing reduces the risk of transmitting the virus by 90 percent,” said Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, to the New York Post.
Boris Johnson announced that pubs across the United Kingdom could reopen as of July 4, per iNews.