Buxton restaurant uses 'creepy' mannequins for distancing

The mannequins have been dressed to look like customers

A restaurant is using mannequins to help keep their customers socially distanced while dining.

The smartly-dressed dummies are positioned at tables in La Brasserie De La Cour in Buxton, Derbyshire.

The owner, Thierry Le Port, said the models would prevent people from sitting too close to others while also avoiding big, empty spaces.

Customers of the French restaurant have described the mannequins as "slightly creepy" but effective.

Mr Le Port said he and his wife came up with the idea when discussing how to reopen the restaurant.

He said he was concerned about how to ensure customers maintained social distancing in the restaurant.

"I thought, 'We need to do something' and we came up with mannequins," he said.

Thierry Le Port said the mannequins prevented customers from moving the furniture around

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Mr Le Port said the fake customers were helping to keep people safe by preventing them from moving the empty chairs and tables around.

He added they also helped to create a "good atmosphere" with some diners not even realising they were mannequins at first.

The mannequins have been made to look like real people wearing shirts and sunglasses.

Scarlett Boyd - who works at La Brasserie De La Cour - said: "If they are going to be dining here 24/7, we thought we'd best dress them up nicely."

Some customers have found the mannequins "slightly creepy"

Customer Martin Booth, from Chester, said "I'm not sure about them" and described the mannequins as "slightly creepy".

Another diner said they "looked good" and were a "clever way" of showing social distancing.