A Gawler café owner has asked for the community to respect the introduction of “COVID marshals” as local businesses continue to battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

From Friday, COVID marshals will be required at a number of businesses across the state including hospitality venues, gyms, sports clubs, churches and supermarkets.

The marshals will be responsible for ensuring social distancing measures are being respected, venue capacity limits are not exceeded and infection control requirements are met.

To be assigned the role, staff will have to undertake free online training and will be made visible to customers inside the business.

Larger venues, such as pubs and supermarkets, will likely have to employ or roster on an extra staff member to solely carry out the marshal responsibilities.

Smaller businesses though, such as Hudsons Café Gawler, will be able to have an already-rostered on employee undertake the Marshal role on top of their normal duties.

Owner Ryan Tew urged the public to adhere to the marshal’s instructions to allow businesses to operate as smoothly as possible.

“Most customers are pretty good,” he said. “You get a certain per cent who are angry because they’re put out.

“Follow the signs and the rules such as staying 1.5m apart and making room for everyone and we’ll stay where we are (in terms of the pandemic).”

Mr Tew added there was some confusion for business owners across the weekend regarding how to complete the compulsory training and the specific roles of the marshals, but said these had been sorted through and was confident the initiative will work.

“It’s one of those things where it seemed a little bit rushed, but at the end of the day it’s just one of those things (to deal with) in the COVID area,” he said.

Premier Steven Marshall and police commissioner Grant Stevens announced the introduction of COVID marshals during a press conference last Wednesday.

The state has recorded three new cases in the last week, all of which are currently isolating in medi-hotel quarantine.

Mr Stevens said the COVID marshals were important to keep businesses open.

“We want to keep our businesses open, but the maintenance of venue capacity, physical distancing and infection control requirements is vital to reduce the community transmission of the disease,” he said.

“Should the disease re-emerge in the community the current low level restrictions leave us vulnerable to significant spread of the disease.”