Mr Mulligans in Bournemouth BH2 reopens

Mr Mulligans, in Bournemouth’s BH2 complex, reopened on Friday with restrictions, and owner Victor Gomes said he expects people to gradually start returning.

Mr Gomes said: “We’ve introduced a number of safety messages, to start with we have online booking.

“That way we know who’s coming ahead of time and lets us control the crowd.

“We’ve reduced the capacity we’re going to have, we’ve almost cut it in half.

“We’ve made the course flow better, we’ve taken away the two nines and made it one 18.

“We’ve have social distancing posters throughout the course, directional arrows, cleaning points.”

The centre, like most places around the country, closed in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now it’s open again, the upstairs course is closed, staff wear full PPE, the till has screens and customers use an app to order food and drinks.

Mr Gomes continued: “We furloughed some staff. Some are back, we’re waiting for the volumes to pick up before we bring the others back.

“We’re expecting footfall to slowly, gradually build.

“I think people want to know that we’re safe which we are, we are very safe.

“We have enough measures in place, enough signage.

“We have hand sanitiser all around the course, we sanitise every club after it’s been used, every ball after it’s been used.”

From July 24, it will be mandatory for people to wear face masks in shops.

Speaking on how this will affect Mr Mulligans, Mr Gomes said: “We’ll have to take the government guidelines on that.

“It’s a bit unclear right now, but once the final guidelines come out, we will of course adhere to them.

“We’ve spent a lot of time doing a risk assessment, I’ve worked with BCP Council, environmental health, we’re really happy with our risk assessment.

“It’s a great place to have fun and our main priority is making sure our customers are safe.

“As a company we had to get through this which I think we have, and we’re glad to be able to welcome people back in.”