Quote:
Originally Posted by 10023
With the current social distancing rules in London we might as well be in full lockdown. It is not enjoyable to go out. And restaurants are suffering doubly because they are actually operating and paying staff, but unable to earn enough revenue to cover costs.
People over 65 need to be told (made?) to stay home to address the real risk and life needs to be allowed.
edit: I was just getting a coffee. Some grey haired old lady with a lower class accent walked in, and when the staff told her she needed a mask just shouted “I’m exempt!” and continued on. Must have been 70. That kind of shit is the problem, not anything young people are doing.
|
Most people are still on board to play along with the restrictions, but as I've said elsewhere on this board there is less and less sand in the top part of the hourglass.
Restaurateurs and bar owners in our neighbouring province of Ontario lobbied for and won permission to keep patios open all winter with semi-open tents and heaters. Areas like the Byward Market in Ottawa just across the river from me are a sea of white tents with heaters. (Here in Quebec even in this is not allowed. So restaurants can only offer takeout.)
Anyway, the expectation in Ontario is that at least some patrons would continue to come and dine and especially drink in heated "outdoor" spaces.
On Radio-Canada today there was a report about how most of these heated outdoor spaces were deserted. This was on a decent day when the temperature was 5-6C so around 45F. It was mentioned that the cost of heating was actually quite high and many businesses found it wasn't worth it for the handful of customers they'd get over an entire day.
So my guess is that outdoor heated patios aren't really going to be a thing (and be much help to businesses), as we're not even close to the coldest part of the winter yet.
My wife and I actually crossed over to Ottawa to have drinks at some of these places over the weekend. It wasn't unpleasant but not something we'd do regularly. Or maybe it just takes some getting used to? This was a weekend afternoon so the patios were busier. Definitely deserted but not even close to being full.