FIVE businesses have been warned that staff must wear face coverings - or the premises may be closed down.

Ceredigion County Council has warned the proprietors of four takeaways in Aberystwyth and one in Cardigan that their businesses may face closure if they fail to take reasonable measures to provide or require the use of personal protective equipment and face coverings by people working on their premises.

Premises Improvement Notices have been served on Cardigan Arms Fish & Chip Shop, Cardigan; Express Café, Aberystwyth; Domino’s, Aberystwyth; Hot Dumplings, Aberystwyth and Star Fried Chicken and Pizza, Aberystwyth.

The council said the improvement notices require the businesses to ‘provide or require the use of personal protective equipment and face coverings by persons working on the premises’ and warn that failure to comply with the notices can result in a premises closure notice being issued.

The premises were issued with the notices following co-ordinated inspections by Dyfed-Powys Police and the Public Protection Team at Ceredigion County Council over the weekend.

Whilst face shields do offer some protection for the user against transmission of coronavirus, they are not considered to be ‘face coverings’ as they merely shield rather than actually cover the mouth and nose, the council said.

The Public Protection Team will continue to carry out unannounced inspections of premises and the non-compliant businesses may be issued with premises improvement or closure notices, the council added.