Public health bosses have issued advice and reassurance to customers at a Scunthorpe pub after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

It comes after the JD Wetherspoon chain confirmed the case involving an employee at its Blue Bell Inn, on Oswald Road.

Staff members have been told to self-isolate if they were in direct contact with the person but the pub has remained open following advice from the Environmental Health Authority.

The self-isolation advice applies to those who have been within two metres of an infected person for 15 minutes or more, such as if they were working closely in a kitchen or behind a bar, and staff were only advised to take a coronavirus test if they start to display symptoms.

Now, advice has been issued to customers, particularly those who visited the pub on Friday, August 14 or Saturday, August 15.

Penny Spring, director of public health for North Lincolnshire, said: “The management team at the Blue Bell Inn on Oswald Road in Scunthorpe is working with environmental health and public health experts.

“One staff member has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating.

“A small number of colleagues who were in close contact with the staff member are self-isolating also. They will be tested if they develop symptoms.

“This must be set in the context of the rate of infection remaining very low across North Lincolnshire – the seven day rate per 100,000 is 2.9 up to and including August 18.

“The national test and trace service will be contacting those who need to be contacted if they were at premises on Friday, August 14 or Saturday, August 15.

“Any action which needs to be taken will be discussed directly with the individuals.

“If anyone who has visited the pub at any time since the morning of Friday, August 14, begins to demonstrate symptoms of Covid-19 then they should self-isolate and get a test.

“Anyone wanting a test, or who would like further information about what action they should take, should call 119.”

Social distancing and additional cleaning measures continue to be in place at the Blue Bell and more than 1,200 people have visited the pub and registered using the Track and Trace system in the past week alone.

Confirming the positive case on Friday, JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We were notified by an employee at the Blue Bell Inn, Scunthorpe, that they had tested positive for Covid-19.

“Following Government guidelines, the company has asked those employees working in close proximity with the affected employee to self-isolate for 14 days. No other employee has tested positive.

“The advice Wetherspoon has received from the authorities indicates that those employees working with someone who tests positive should self-isolate if they have been within two metres for 15 minutes or more – for example, working next to someone on the bar or in the kitchen.

“In these circumstances, it has not been the advice of the Environmental Health Authorities to close the premises.

“Since reopening on July 4, Wetherspoon has implemented a number of social distancing measures in all pubs: tables have been spaced out, floor screens have been installed between tables, as well as “till surround screens” at the bar.

“Staff are conducting regular surface cleaning and, on average, 10 hand sanitisers have been installed in each pub, with additional units back of house for staff.

“As regards Test and Trace, last week, nearly one million Wetherspoon customers registered using the Test and Trace system across the company.

“At the Blue Bell Inn, 1,269 customers have registered this week so far.

“While it is not possible to completely eliminate risk, the combination of stringent hygiene measures and the self-isolation of staff helps to minimise risk.”