As businesses prepare to re-start, a huge part of the considerations concern the re-configuring of work spaces to  comply with COVID-19 social distancing regulations and prevent any further spread of the covid-19 virus.

For the hospitality sector and other similar sectors, this presents a number of challenges, which businesses are looking to design experts for assistance with.

Staff at Ghyll House Upholstery and Design, part of the ECO solutions business, have returned to work at their HQ to help businesses transform their spaces in time for when they can reopen.

Cafes, bars, restaurants, hotels, gyms, hairdressers, medical centres and schools have all already been in touch with Ghyll House general manager Joe McAlpine who is helping businesses redesign their spaces.

Redesigns are focused on helping businesses reopen when lockdown eases in a way which gives staff and customers full confidence in the safety measures adopted.

Ghyll House offers a range of cost-effective solutions, including specialist fast-acting, effective and durable antimicrobial fabrics and vinyls, proven to be effective against coronavirus.

Joe, who is based at Ghyll House’s Cumbria headquarters, said: “In the pubs, hotels, restaurants and cafes sector across the Lake District and beyond we have had a lot of enquiries asking how their spaces can be redesigned so they are able to safely serve customers.

“Booths, where families and friends can sit in groups of four people or more, are one aspect of a redesign which are attracting a lot of interest.

“We work best where the customer shares with us details of the space and the issues they have, including how the flow of people will work in that space given the social distancing regulations, and then we redesign the space for them to meet their requirements.

“We know that finances are going to be an issue for many of these businesses who are faced with redesigns at a time when they have been hit hard by the economic impact of coronavirus.

“Our solutions are focused on being cost-effective and value for money while also ensuring everything is designed with the safety of staff and customers in mind,” said Joe.

“We offer a full design and fit-out service. It might be when we look at the space that making bespoke booths to fit the space will be the best option.

“We might also find that we are able to recover much of the furniture with an anti-bacterial easy-to-sanitise material, which will meet all the safety requirements.

“We’ve been very busy recovering seating in bars, headboards in hotels, and equipment in gyms with antibacterial material.

“Many of these businesses know that if they are ahead of the game and are making these changes now in line with all the legislation that they are likely to win more business when they reopen as staff and customers will have confidence in their environment being safe to use.

“It’s about them putting cost-effective safety solutions in place now so they are first in the queue to win back customers when lockdown is eased.”

As part of parent company ECO’s support to businesses, Ghyll House is also able to offer its customers access to a full sanitisation service of their premises before they reopen.

ECO Projects director Tony Chilton said: “Bars, hotels, restaurants, holiday parks, will all need to be sanitised before they reopen. People selling their homes and wanting viewings, are all going to need to make sure their premises are sanitised before potential buyers can visit. As sanitisation specialists we are helping a lot of businesses with this service.

“We have sanitised a major food industry factory and have long-standing experience of that sector as well, and can help anyone who needs to sanitise food preparation areas or kitchens.”

ECO has earned praise during lockdown for keeping a factory which makes material for NHS visors operating 24/7 with its sanitisation solution services.

And ECO also came to the rescue of thousands of care homes across the UK by supplying one million items of PPE within just seven days.

Tony said: “We’re continuing to work closely with the medical sector. We’ve just finished an order to reupholster all the recliner chairs and seats for a major city hospital, and have been asked for a quote to replace all the fabrics in a Lake District doctor’s surgery.”

Ghyll House’s own HQ at Mealsgate near Cockermouth in Cumbria has been fitted with sanitisation stations and social distancing regulations are enforced to enable its own workforce to safely get back to work.

Joe said: “It has been great getting back into our offices this week and focusing on helping businesses to adapt so that when they are allowed to reopen they can immediately welcome back customers. It’s another way we can support and help the wider business community.”