A popular patio on Sarnia's waterfront will be back up and running on Friday as Lambton county enters Stage 2 of COVID-19 reopening.
Paddy Flaherty's on Seaway Road will have increased safety measures in place, including operating at half capacity, spacing tables six feet apart, and enhanced sanitation.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156913740896431&set=a.139998126430&type=3&theater
Co-Owner Angela Smolders admitted it's been a struggle for them during the pandemic.
"If you compare the sales to last year, we're down 90 per cent. Takeout and delivery has been great, and we appreciate the support but it's only just getting us by with paying the bills."
Smolders said they've recalled 24 of 40 staff members, and the patio will be able to safely seat 54 people with a maximum of six per table.
She said they don't yet have plans to extend the patio, but it's something they could look at in the future once they adjust to the "new normal."
The patio at Paddy's is set to open at 11 a.m., but the restaurant is not taking reservations and there won't be any live music.
In the meantime, a popular London Line restaurant is opening up a patio for the first time in its 56-year history.
John's Restaurant is planning to have its new outdoor space open as of 7 a.m. Friday.
Owner Leo Stathakis said there will be some new procedures in place.
"There's a lot more sanitation happening than before. You'll see a lot of hand sanitizer and our servers will be waiting on tables wearing masks or face shields. We also won't be handing out as many menus to customers."
He said although they've been open for take out and delivery, business has been slower than normal with more people working from home.
"Back in March and April, a lot of places were shut down and people started working from home. When those people were at their places of work, they would often go out for breakfast and lunch and have meetings and a lot of that has stopped. When that stopped, they're not out spending in restaurants and retail so it goes full circle. A lot of our suppliers have also scaled back their delivery."
Refined Fool has announced that it won't be opening its patio until Canada Day.
Indoor dining at restaurants won't be allowed until Stage 3 of Ontario's reopening plan and will be subject to restrictions.
