Management company Interstate Hotels and Resorts has become the largest hotel firm to date to sign up to the UK Safe to Trade Scheme.
The scheme is “underpinned by an industry-led safety charter which helps UK hotels to trade safely, ensuring that their premises and teams are Covid-secure via ongoing safety checks and monitoring”.
A total of 62 properties managed by Interstate Hotels and Resorts – including the Staybridge Suites London Heathrow (reviewed here last year) – will now join registered groups including Malmaison, Hotel du Vin, Handpicked Hotels, Amaris Group and Almarose Hotels.
Safe to Trade Scheme lists 175 “fully Covid-compliant” UK hotels
Customers wanting to share positive experiences or flag up concerns can scan a QR code on the venue’s Safe to Trade window sticker, or visit the scheme’s website to leave feedback, which is then fed back to the hotel , with managers and owners “encouraged to adjust and adapt their practices to ensure that their business stays Covid compliant and safe”.
The scheme has a wider remit beyond the hotel industry, to help holidaymakers “identify which hotels, bars, restaurants and cinemas are going the extra mile to ensure the safety of both their staff and guests”.
Commenting on the news Mark Flanagan, chair of the Safe to Trade Scheme governance board and CEO of Shield Safety Group, said:
“We have been working hand-in-hand with Interstate since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, following a 10+ year relationship. Our core focus has been on helping the business to keep their people and their guests safe.
“From aiding sites with staying open throughout lockdown, to making their premises available to key workers, advising on safety training and redesigning workflows, we have worked with Interstate to interpret regularly changing government and regulator guidance, ensuring that customers can relax and have the peace of mind that they’re visiting a Covid-safe environment.”
“Interstate has done everything in its power to protect both its people and its customers in what have been highly unusual and highly pressurised times. As a business with a strong inherent safety culture Interstate has excelled in its response to the pandemic, keeping premises open while also maintaining Covid-free environments. This continues to be no mean feat.”
