The Village Home Pub in Gosport responds to criticism following confirmed Covid-19 case

The Village Home Pub, in Village Road, Alverstoke, reopened on Saturday for the first time since March but hastily had to close again after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday.

As reported, news of the outbreak has left residents ‘frightened’ with anxiety over the virus spreading through the tight-knit area of Gosport where houses and shops are closely packed together.

Messages on the pub’s Facebook page revealed strong views on both sides as the pub came under fire after releasing a statement earlier in the week confirming a case of coronavirus.

Kerry Spiller Loughrey was among those to post on Facebook. She said: ‘Perhaps if your initial statement was articulated better, there wouldn't have been the extraordinary backlash.’

Pene Vn Rensburg wrote: ‘Question? Were tables removed to ensure spacing. Was it table service? I know there was no recommended pre-booking as that was on the original “we are open post”. Just curious.’

Donna Davidson, responding to the latest statement, added: ‘(I) was shocked at everyone’s lack of empathy for the person involved. This is far better but shame about the sarcasm.’

The Village Home’s updated message revealed it made ‘every effort to adhere to government guidelines including separate entrance/exit, sanitising stations, designated service areas and posters informing customers about social distancing’.

Revealing details of the confirmed Covid-19 case, the statement continued: ‘All staff were fit and showing no signs or symptoms of any illness.

‘On Sunday morning a member of staff was informed that someone in their family bubble had tested positive, they immediately went for a test.

‘On Monday this test was confirmed as positive despite neither of them showing any symptoms.’

The statement said Environmental Health and Public Health England (PHE) were contacted with NHS Track and Trace deployed before all staff were tested.

‘All other staff have now been tested and all are negative but some remain in self-isolation under PHE advice,’ the statement said.

‘Anyone that did visit the pub knows that a log of all customers was kept and is now with Track and Trace/PHE for them to take action as they see fit.’

The message took a swipe at those criticising the pub. ‘Despite the “invaluable” help from the “Facebook experts” we took the decision to stick with these departments on how to proceed,’ it read.

The statement added: ‘To reiterate our original message: anyone who was in the pub over the weekend there is no need to isolate unless you show symptoms or are contacted directly by the trace group.’

The closure of the pub sparked The Park Tavern, in Park Road, and The Fighting Cocks, in Clayhall Road, to close as a precaution.

A pupil at Leesland Church of England Infant School, in Whitworth Road, Gosport, had a confirmed Covid-19 diagnosis on Wednesday.

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