BUSINESSES across Pendle - which includes Barnoldswick and Earby - are being visited by mystery shoppers to make sure they are complying with coronavirus restrictions.

Pendle Council’s environmental health team has been visiting businesses including supermarkets, offices, shops and takeaways. - and it is finding the biggest problem is people not wearing masks while inside shops.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, council leader, said: “When issues are spotted which raise their concern, our Covid compliance officer makes an inspection, and the Government’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is continuing to do spot checks of businesses in Pendle to ensure they are Covid-19 secure.”

The HSE carries out checks over the phone to assess the level of Covid awareness each business has, and what control measures they have in place.

Cllr Iqbal said: “Any business getting a phone call from the HSE must co-operate and answer their questions – participation is not optional. If the HSE has any concerns, they pass details on to our environmental health team so that we can do a follow up visit.”

Since September and up until the first week in January, the government department has contacted 500 businesses in Pendle, 29 of which have been referred to the council's environmental health officers for a follow-up inspection.

Michael Duck, head of Pendle’s environmental health team, said:“One of the biggest problems has been people breaking the law by not wearing face coverings in enclosed public spaces such as supermarkets and food stores.

“Supermarkets are being asked to put staff at the entrances to make sure people wear face coverings in the stores and use the sanitisers on the way in.”

The Government has introduced heavy fines for businesses which are not Covid-19 secure on the grounds they they are putting customers and staff at risk. Police and councils can issue fixed penalty notices with fines for those businesses which are not Covid secure.

Typical fines are £1,000 for a first offence, and £2,000 for the second, rising to £10,000 for a fourth offence.

Mr Duck added: “To protect customers, we’re also reminding shops and supermarkets to step up their efforts in sanitising chip and pin card devices when key pads have been used.”

When environmental health officers visit a business which is not Covid secure they advise the manager on the immediate action which must be taken. A follow up visit is then carried out the next day to make sure improvements have been made. In the vast majority of cases, the business has taken the right action.

Businesses and organisations can access advice from Pendle’s environmental health team by phone 01282 662009 or email: environmental.food.gov.

Details on how businesses must be Covid-19 secure are on Pendle Council’s website www.pendle.gov.uk/covidsupport and on www.pendle.gov.uk/coronavirus

Anyone who is worried that a business in Pendle isn’t following the rules and is putting staff and customers at risk can report it via www.pendle.gov.uk/covidsupport