Current UK Takeaway Rules and How to Ensure your Business Benefits

Are you looking for a way to ensure your business benefits from the new UK takeaway rules? With everything being very up in the air at the moment due to COVID-19, it can help to have a quick guide to hand to run through what’s changing and what businesses can and can’t do.

Take a look at our handy guide to the current UK takeaway rules to ensure that your business makes the most of them.

What are the UK takeaway rules?

It was confirmed on 11 November that pubs across the UK have received automatic permission to provide takeaway services up until March 2022. This has been a great thing for many businesses in hospitality and has offered a new revenue stream in a difficult time.

Many of us remember when the rule was first adopted as a temporary measure back in March of this year - an action which was taken in order to support businesses in the hospitality sector. It meant that food and beverage businesses including pubs, restaurants and cafes, as well as outdoor markets were able to add takeaway to their list of services, even though they weren’t allowed customers in their venues. 

Many businesses made full use of this opportunity to pivot and adapt to new ways of finding income to stay afloat in an otherwise uncertain financial period, and now it’s back to help businesses through the next few months once again.

What has changed with the new rules?

Previously, pub owners had to submit a planning application in order to offer takeaway options, but now this complicated process is no longer necessary. This means that it’s easier for businesses to offer takeaways and provide themselves with a revenue stream even though their venue might be closed.

Many businesses have found that having the opportunity to offer their goods on a takeaway basis is a lifeline, and the government is considering making this reform permanent. So, it looks like takeaway services will be here for a long time – if not permanently – for many businesses in the hospitality sector. 

It’s time to invest in the tools that your business needs 

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The new regulations mean that it is the perfect time to invest in the right tools and resources needed to make the entire process run smoothly, from ordering to pick-up and payment.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many pubs, bars and restaurants have been searching for new ways to deal with the ever-changing situation and keep up with each set of new rules. One of the ways many hospitality businesses attempted to adapt to the times was to introduce an app that customers can use to browse the menu, order and pay.

Don’t waste your customers time with yet another app

The problem is, customers are now getting tired of constantly downloading new apps wherever they go, and with this new takeaway legislation, this is only set to continue.

Businesses that use Yoello don’t have to force their customers to download yet another unnecessary app. It’s a perfect mobile ordering solution as it means that only a simple QR code or URL is needed, and then customers can do everything via their internet browser.  

Yoello brings the business and the customer closer together and makes the entire process more efficient, leaving business owners more time to focus on keeping up to date with the latest restrictions and ensuring their business is running smoothly. 

Maintaining certainty in uncertain times

This pandemic has made many people feel uncertain about their futures, whether that’s related to their job, their housing or their relationships.

Similarly, we know that business owners are looking for some certainty and security, too. With the knowledge that the reforms regarding takeaways are here to stay, the right mobile ordering solution could make all the difference in ensuring consistency for both the merchant and the customer for a long time to come.

Find out more about why businesses are using Yoello to optimise their whole ordering process.