Hastings cafe owner speaks out on coronavirus testing unit location

A cafe owner who decided to close her business for the day due to the proximity of a temporary coronavirus testing unit is calling for it to be relocated.
The testing unit next to the cafeThe testing unit next to the cafe
The testing unit next to the cafe

Louise Kelleher, who runs Eat@The Stade with her husband, said that when her staff turned up for work on Saturday morning, they found the unit occupying the ‘entire’ open space alongside it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They were told by staff operating the unit that no tables and chairs could be put in the area outside the cafe.

The view from the door of the cafeThe view from the door of the cafe
The view from the door of the cafe

“The whole space was taped off and the whole area designated a no footfall zone,” she said.

As a result, she decided to close for the day – which she said was ‘pretty gutting’ considering the ‘glorious’ weather and it being the first day of the summer holidays.

“It was really a kick in the teeth to say the least,” she said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This was going to be such an important weekend. The Old Town is heaving.

The testing unit next to the cafeThe testing unit next to the cafe
The testing unit next to the cafe

“It would have been such a busy trading weekend.”

Even if it has been possible to seat some customers, she said the staff in army fatigues and PPE made an unsettling sight.

“It looked like a dystopian film scene out there,” she said. “It would have been the bleakest of views.”

She is calling on the authorities to rethink the location of the testing site.

“It’s not an appropriate space for it,” she said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I thought the idea was they were located slightly out of town.

“This is slap bang in the middle of a busy tourist area.”

Hastings Borough Council said the unit would remain at the site for the next few days and would then be reviewed.

“We are very sorry that Eat@The Stade felt they had to close whilst the testing station was open,” a spokesman said.

“It is not possible for the testing site to be relocated this time and will remain at the Stade for the next few days.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“After which the use of the Stade as a testing site location will be reviewed.”

On the decision to base the testing unit at the Stade, the spokesman said: “Hastings Borough Council was asked some time ago by East Sussex County Council on behalf of Public Health England if we could identify a suitable location for a temporary COVID testing station in the town.

“A number of sites were looked at, and one was found which was thought to be meet the criteria.

“However, when the military, who are operating the station, looked at the site the layout meant it couldn’t be used.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The only other site we could identify which met the criteria was the Stade open space, which we agreed could then be used on an occasional basis.

“Being in the town centre, the Stade is an accessible location for a local testing station for Hastings and its communities.

“These testing sites are very important in the ongoing management of coronavirus and are for the benefit of us all.

“We understand that some people have concerns about this location and potential risks but this is why the precautions that the council, NHS, government and Public Health England, have been communicating about washing hands, wearing masks if possible and keeping social distance are essential to us all staying safe.”