The Berthon Sales Group remains open, working within the market place and observing COVID-19 best practices for the safety of our clients and our staff. In some cases, we are working remotely but we are all here and look forward to hearing from you during this difficult time – in all five international offices.
As an international brokerage sales group, offering a truly local and personal service in all our locations, below is a short description of the restrictions in operation in each of our offices. We will be updating this information regularly.
In locations where yacht viewings are permitted – these are carried out following these protocols –
Following the UK’s latest ease in restrictions, we are delighted to be able to once again welcome you aboard our brokerage and sales fleet in Lymington and the South Coast. All necessary Covid protocols remain in place to keep our staff and clients as safe as possible, including wearing masks at all times on site and respecting the social distancing we have all become accustomed to. Yachts will be professionally ‘fogged’ and sanitised following any viewings or boardings, ensuring they are safe for the next visiting clients. We therefore ask you to contact us in advance to make an appointment. We continue to offer FaceTime viewings for those unable to visit, and to support and chat to our clients via phone, email, WhatsApp, Skype, and so on. We remain open for business and always welcome the opportunity to chat about yachts.
From Saturday 3rd April, further restrictions will be imposed throughout France. The curfew will be from 19:00 to 6:00 and the country will enter a national lockdown for 4 weeks. Schools will be closed, as well as non-essential shops and travel beyond 10km from home will not be permitted. We will be working from our office but unable to receive visitors. Boat deliveries will continue as planned. Yacht viewings for those locally can take place, whilst respecting social distancing protocols of course (limited numbers of people on-board, wearing masks etc.), and virtual viewings via FaceTime will also be possible. We are of course available and delighted to chat to our clients about boats via phone at any time.
We are now in the ”third wave” of Covid 19 with increasing amounts of people falling ill. However, there is hope on the horizon with the government planning to administer first vaccinations to all those aged 65 and over before mid-May and to all those aged 18 and over by mid August. In the meantime, there are restrictions on public meetings and non-essential shops, gyms and swimming pools remain closed. People are being asked to work from home where possible. We continue as before… and recommend viewing yachts digitally before viewing in person.
There has been a dramatic and welcome fall in Covid cases on the island, which has led to an ease in restrictions. We continue to have a curfew imposed between 22:00 – 06:00. However, up to 2 households of 6 people can now meet inside or out. Bar/restaurant outside terraces have opened at 50% capacity (30% interior capacity) with up to 4 people and 2 households allowed per table. Also allowed to re-open with capacity restrictions are theatres, cinemas and gyms. Large stores/shopping centres (700 metres) are open at 50% capacity, Monday to Friday and at 30% on Saturdays until 20:00. So life is a little easier!
Our offices continue to work with COVID-19 best practice, keeping safe distances, wearing masks and working behind Perspex screens. Free travel for clients remains our biggest issue for yacht sales. However yacht tours via video, Zoom, FaceTime etc are increasingly popular and we are delighted to offer this to clients who are unable to visit. We can also organise surveys and third party inspections.
Rhode Island continues to impose travel restrictions on both international and domestic travellers.
International Travelers: If you’ve come to Rhode Island from a location outside the 50 states or the District of Columbia (DC), you must quarantine for 10 days. However, if you have a negative result from a test taken at least 5 days after you arrived, you may shorten quarantine to 7 days. The CDC requires all air passengers arriving in the United States from any foreign country to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery.
Domestics Travelers: If you’ve come to Rhode Island from a hot spot within the 50 states or DC, you must quarantine for 10 days or provide proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken after arrival or within 72 hours before arrival. To avoid disappointment, please check your State’s Covid position before travelling to RI.
We are currently unable to travel for yacht viewings and can only show yachts locally, using appropriate Covid protocols of course. The team are working from the office but we ask that you call ahead to confirm appointments in order to avoid disappointment. For those of you unable to visit, we are happy to conduct virtual viewings aboard our locally based yachts.
With fair winds from the whole Berthon Team – who are keeping calm and carrying on! Please stay safe and well.
