Concerned about patrons’ ability to socially distance themselves from staff, the quaint, welcoming Star Inn, in the rural community of Cornwell, has installed an electric fence to keep people back from the bar.
The Star Inn is a small pub, said to be the “first and last” rural pub in Cornwall, on Britain’s south-west tip, around 420 kilometres from London.
England’s pubs were permitted to reopen on ‘Super Saturday’ 4 July, and proprietor Johnny McFadden has been getting concerned about revellers getting too close to the bartenders. Already several UK pubs have had to close again after customers tested positive for the virus.
He sought to put “some rope or chain” in front of the bar to indicate the 1-metre spacing required under current pandemic regulations in the UK, but was not convinced it would actually do the job and failing to find anything more suitable he installed and wired up an electrically-charged barrier.
The high-voltage deterrent is reportedly not actually on, but the community is certainly familiar with electric fences and tagged with a polite warning, it has the desired effect.
“It’s for everybody’s benefit,” he told the Daily Mail.
In the past few days his idea has attracted global media coverage, and capitalising on the opportunity McFadden is now planning to launch sales of ‘electric fence’ t-shirts at the pub.
The Star Inn is known for its charm and character, owned by St Austell Brewery venue and championing a “friendly welcome assured” on its website. An update clause regarding the electric fence may be pending.
