Northern Irish coffee shop chain Bob & Berts has reopened almost three-quarters of its cafés across Northern Ireland and Scotland following financial support from Ulster Bank.
Ulster Bank provided a range of support measures to the chain during COVID-19-related lockdown, including temporary overdraft facilities and capital repayment holidays.
"In A Good Place To Reopen"
Bob & Berts co-owner David Ferguson stated, "Over the past three months, we've worked with the team at Ulster Bank on an almost daily basis to establish where we are and to agree a range of measures that will sustain the business.
"Turning the tap back on across all of our stores is a huge undertaking and has incurred significant costs. The support Ulster Bank has provided has ensured the business is in a good place to reopen, and has allowed us to resume in-store trading quickly and efficiently."
Health And Safety Measures
Bob & Berts, which currently operates 15 outlets in Northern Ireland and five in Scotland, and employs over 400 staff, has invested in social distancing and personal hygiene measures, including floor markings and till screens, across all of its cafés. It has also reduced the capacity of its cafés to facilitate social distancing and has undertaken additional staff training to ensure public health guidelines are maintained.
Additionally, the chain has launched an app and an online ordering system to allow customers to places orders for both collection and delivery.
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