Marstons pubs choose sanity – boss declares war on ‘virus’ red tape and refuses to make staff wear masks because it would ‘feel like a hospital’ (they’ll be packed)

One of the country’s biggest pub chains has said it will not force drinkers to hand over their contact details – fearing the policy will put them off.

Ralph Findlay, chief executive of Marston’s, is also refusing to make staff wear masks, claiming pubs should not feel like hospitals.

He said customers would be able to prop up the bar when pubs open next week – ignoring another safety guideline issued by the Government.

Marston’s will re-open 90 per cent of its 1,400 sites from July 4 – and others in Wales and Scotland will follow once local lockdown restrictions are eased.

The brewer will spend several hundred thousand pounds on personal protective equipment for employees who want to use it for ‘their own peace of mind’ but not as a matter of course.

The Wolverhampton-based group, which owns the Pitcher & Piano and Revere chains, said it would leave pens and paper for customers to fill out their details if they wanted to.

It means this voluntary information, and potentially the records of those making digital bookings, will be the only data it can provide to help the Government’s track and trace efforts.

Read more: Marstons pubs choose sanity – boss declares war on ‘virus’ red tape and refuses to make staff wear masks because it would ‘feel like a hospital’ (they’ll be packed)