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Domino's Pizza staff have said social distancing is "impossible" to do while at work, raising fears over the deadly Covid-19 outbreak.

Amid the coronavirus crisis, the government earlier this week ordered all non-essential businesses and shops to shut, but said that firms offering takeaways and deliveries as well as those serving online retail could remain open - all the while following strict social distancing and hygiene rules.

Employees at the Domino's Pizza branch in , Liverpool claim that given the small space they are made to work in, social distancing - where staff are told to keep a 2m distance - is "impossible".

When contacted for comment by BusinessLive, Domino's said its "priority" was the safety of colleagues and customers, and that it had implemented various measures such as 'contact-free delivery' and increased sanitation and handwashing at all of its stores.

An employee who works at the branch in Honeys Green Shopping Precinct, but who wished to remain anonymous, said: "Domino’s Pizza have supposedly reconfigured their working practices to accommodate government safe working guidelines.

"Unfortunately, despite Domino’s and their staff’s best intentions, this is not working.

"We find ourselves in a precarious position to safeguard our health, income and the wider public’s wellbeing.

"With the major fast food outlets and eateries closing, Domino’s Pizza finds itself with unprecedented demand, which is great for business as usual.

"In order to meet demand though, it is contravening safe working guidelines."

The employee said the company had closed the shop to walk-in orders and cash transactions - but said "this is not enough", adding that the work space is the size of a "typical living room in a three-bed suburban house in Liverpool".

They added: "The floor space in the West Derby shop is not enough to foster safe distancing. Even if we all remain still, it is not enough.

"So, you can imagine what it is like at 8pm on a Saturday evening, which is our rush hour and in recent times, we are very busy throughout the week.

"Factor in six to ten staff at any one time all rushing to pick up phones, handle ovens, man production lines and access fridges for stock. Social distancing is impossible.

"Sadly, the safe working plans are not being implemented so you have drivers in store adding to the ‘in store’ cocktail of mayhem. In short, the Domino’s company owners need to shut every shop, as most of the shops I have been in are similarly set up.

"This is public health matter and an issue of grave concern. They are profiteering from a sad situation."

Similar concerns have also been raised by staff working for the pizza giant in Oxford.

An employee on Wednesday the store was "too small" to maintain the 2m distance - and that it "should be closed until further notice".

A spokeswoman for Domino's told the ECHO on Friday: "Our priority is the safety of our colleagues and customers.

"We are working closely with our store teams and have implemented clear processes following government guidelines to ensure distance is maintained between colleagues working together in store.

"We have moved to Contact Free Delivery only and have stopped our collection service. We’ve also increased sanitisation, handwashing and have stopped handling cash.

"We will continue to review all our operational processes to make further improvements wherever possible and ensure we are following government guidance.”

Earlier this week, at that staff at Matalan's Kirkby warehouse were unable to adhere to social distancing rules.

Similar fears have also been raised at firms across the ������Ƶ including and .