Published on

Our plans for keeping us all safe at Annie’s Place 

Anne and Robin

Covid19 means that Robin and I are within the vulnerable category and, although not shielding, we have been very careful to follow Government advice and still regard social distancing, the wearing of masks and gloves, hand washing and appropriate cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces etc as imperative. We will be taking measures, as detailed below, to keep us all as safe as we can in these difficult times. BUT we still hope new and returning guests will feel as welcome and “at home” as possible in the circumstances!

This information sheet is to advise you of the range of precautions and changes to our normal practices which we will have in place by the time of our first guest arriving. We are basing all we do on the advice and standards set by Scottish Government, ASSC (Association of Scottish Self Caterers), Visit Scotland and many other groups, who are all giving the same advice and recommendations.

Normally, Robin and I would have been here to welcome you into Annie’s Place, to briefly show you around and answer any questions. Also during your stay we would have been happy to welcome you into the garden and even chat for a while if you felt so inclined. We will still be happy to help you and to chat, but at a social distance of at least 2 metres, or by telephone contact. 

On the boat or plane you should have received a letter from Orkney Island Council (OIC) leader and the chair of NHS Orkney providing information on how to help our community. We are also providing a copy of this letter and other information/guidance notes in your information pack on the kitchen table. This folder will have been replaced by a fresh one for each set of guests.

Prior to your arrival we will have followed the Cleaning Protocols devised by ASSC and endorsed by Scottish Government. We will also have completed the standard required by Visit Scotland to gain their “Good to Go” accreditation.

These standards will require us to thoroughly clean, and then, disinfect Annie’s Place on the departure of guests. The requirement to viral disinfect requires additional time. We will also not be entering the property for at least an hour after the previous guests have left; we are advised that this will allow airborne virus particle to disperse.  We are therefore asking that you delay your arrival time from the customary 1500hrs to 1700hrs, and we thank you for this consideration

As instructed in official guidance, we will also be requesting that at the end of your holiday, you remove all bedding, towels etc, place them in the black bags provided and then leave them outside Annie’s Place door as you leave. Or, if you have brought your own items, please use the bags to take your items home. We will disinfect the waterproof mattress and pillow protectors ready for the next guests.

As far as is reasonable, at the end of each guest’s stay, we will be taking removable items from Annie’s Place into the Old Manse.  Therefore, many items you are using will not have been used in the previous week and will have been stored for 72 hours in The Old Manse and then cleaned.  In order to achieve this, we will be reducing the amount of crockery, pans etc in the kitchen, as well as not leaving any spare linen in the twin bedroom cupboard, nor having our usual cushions, throws or rugs throughout the apartment. 

All areas within Annie’s Place, including surfaces, utensils, curtains, blind cords, floors and carpets will be disinfected or steam cleaned according to official Government guidance to prevent the spread of coronavirus. We will have appropriate hand sanitiser at the entrance, as well as soap in kitchen and bathroom, as careful hand washing is still recommended as the best safety measure for us all.

To further ensure everyone’s safety, we have made the decision to remove all books, DVDs, the chest of toys and jigsaws, and tourist leaflets. As we will also be removing the Visitors’ Book, we would appreciate if you could complete the review request sent automatically at the end of your stay by our booking site.

Should you require any articles that we have removed, or have any other queries, then please let us know and we will be pleased to assist you as required.

The main requirements we ask of our guests are as follows, and we thank you for following these:

  • Please arrive from 17.00 hours onwards; the door will be unlocked and disinfected keys will be on hall hooks, information and instructions for you will be on the kitchen table (including official advice);
  • Please follow guidance given by Government, NHS, Visit Scotland and Orkney Island Council;
  • Please feel free to bring your own bedding (even duvets and pillows), towels and dishcloths if you prefer, and if you do decide to do this, then please let me know in advance so that the beds will not then be made up with these items;
  • Cleaning materials will be provided for you, but again you may wish to bring certain products with you;
  • On departure please leave all windows open (taking care not to force beyond 20cms);
  • If you have used our bedding etc then please put in bin bags provided, secure the bags and leave them outside the main door for us to collect once you have left. 

We will look out for your departure and we can say goodbye at a social distance! 

Thank you so much for choosing to stay at Annie’s Place. We hope you have a great holiday and we can welcome you back again!

good to go

Birsay

Archive