In this second of our two-part blog about the impact of Tier 3 restrictions on HORECA (hotel, restaurant and catering) businesses across our region – with the exception of  North Yorkshire – we zone in on products that will help you keep things clean and safe during a shutdown (see our first blog here, which focuses on food and drink outlets now operating a takeaway service).

Just to recap, here are the key Tier 3 rules affecting businesses, and you can find full information on the restrictions at the official government website:

• Hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha venues), pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed – they are permitted to continue sales by takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services
• Accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must close. There are several exemptions, such as for those who use these venues as their main residence, and those requiring the venues where it is reasonably necessary for work or education and training
• Indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close
• Indoor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close

As we said in part 1 of this Tier 3 blog, our hearts go out to the people running pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels who are desperately trying to keep their businesses afloat. We are here for any businesses that are still able to operate in some way and need an experienced guide to help them ensure they are COVID-secure – you will find more details of the advice and support we offer here.

So, here we will take a closer look at some fantastic products that will help businesses that have to stay locked down for a few more weeks protect their stock and premises.

Protecting your beer lines

Guardian beer line cleaner powder

Guardian Beer Line Protector has been specially formulated to keep infrequently-used beer lines clean and protected for as little as one week and for as long as six months. This is an ideal addition to any hospitality venue forced to close during lockdown periods, or those having to restrict certain areas of their venue. This is also a fantastic product to use post-COVID, for venues who may not have all areas open to the public on a regular basis, for example function rooms for weddings and events.

The Guardian Beer Line Protector is a simple-to-use powder which is added to the cleaning vessel as part of the line cleaning process and left in the lines. This protects the lines from the build up of bacteria and free from bad odours. The powder is made from food grade ingredients, meaning the beer can be drawn through the lines after a simple cold-water rinse, avoiding costly and time-consuming cleaning.

Beer line cleaner liquid

Beer line cleaner liquid is designed for more regular cleaning, which may be your saviour product for any lines which have been neglected due to the lockdown and restrictions. There are a variety of options available which will keep your lines clean and eliminate any build up or yeast residue, another great addition to the cleaning cupboard post-COVID which is suitable for use through a traditional hand pump system or pressurised keg beer lines, and in all water conditions.

Protecting your drain and grease systems

Automated dosing units for grease traps

If you didn’t already know, grease traps are plumbing devices which are designed to stop most greases and solids from entering a standard draining system. They work on the basis that grease and oils have a different density to water, and don’t mix together, which creates a separation of the two substances and allows for the water to drain away with dramatically less grease content than it would if draining directly from the source. These are regularly used by a variety of hospitality businesses, including restaurants, pubs, hotels – and even schools and colleges.

Grease traps need regular cleaning and pumping out, as if left to accumulate for too long the solids and grease will build up and may start to escape through the cleaned water outlet, or back up through the inlet. Here is where ‘dosing units’ come into play, as they can extend the period of time needed to clean the grease traps (between two to four weeks) to up to eight weeks by adding a biological grease treatment fluid containing nutrients and enzymes designed to break down the fats, oils and greases, aiding grease trap performance – a process known as ‘dosing’.

Various dosing unit options are available. These are generally automated units which emit bursts of enzymes into the grease trap, breaking down the build-up and ensuring the unit continues to function. They can be used with the manufacturer’s biological chemicals to keep your grease traps and all other drain elements well maintained throughout any closure periods.

Manual drain cleaning products

If your catering environment doesn’t require any dosing units at the moment, then you have plenty of manual drain-clearing options. These include Evans Sink & Drain Clear, which can be used on a weekly basis, and Evans Drain Clear, which can be used through the dosing unit or as a manual drain cleaner.

Additional drain protection

Food waste strainer

The strainer is designed to reduce the amount of food waste entering the drainage system – a common but potentially harmful occurrence in many commercial kitchens. The adjustable cover sits in sink bowls and can be adapted to fit either left or right plug entry points. The food waste basket collects the debris while allowing the water to flow into the drain and can be easily removed to empty into the bin, leaving no mess in the sink bowl and no particles in the drainage system.

Food waste strainers can be a great addition to the kitchen if the pressure is on in busy environments, or if COVID-19 challenges mean the kitchen is operating on a smaller team. This can also be used post-COVID to help maintain grease traps and prolong service intervals. Different sizes are available to make this product as universal as possible.

To find out more about the huge range of hygiene products and equipment we can provide, take a look at our brochures. For a conversation about your individual requirements so that we can help you come up with a bespoke solution, please call us on 01482 327580 or email us.