COVID-19 Kingston: Restaurant owners adapt to new COVID-19 restrictions

Kingston restaurants are adjusting to new restrictions amid a wave of COVID-19 cases.

Tommy Hunter owns Tommy’s Diner on Princess Street in Kingston. “It’s not ideal, but to be honest I thought they would have done it and should do it a lot sooner.”

Hunter says, “(The restrictions are) a very necessary thing.”

Restaurants must be closed for indoor meals between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., do not sell or serve alcohol after 9 p.m., ensure that all customers are seated when serving, do not sit more than four people at a table, and do not allow dancing, singing or music in direct.

Hunter says, “It’s a great success. Everyone knows that January and February are slow months, we rely on Christmas sales and gift card sales to make it through the winter.

The number of active cases in Kingston on Tuesday was 1,018. There were 131 new cases reported on Tuesday. Sixteen people have died from the virus in Kingston. There are currently 31 people hospitalized, including 13 in intensive care due to COVID-19.

The restrictions are in place for at least seven days. This means that many restaurants have had to cancel or postpone holiday season.

Neil Highet conducts Smoke ‘N’ Barrel. He said, “I must have made very few phone calls; most people were proactive and called us and said understandably now is not the time for that. Everyone seems to be very aware of what is going on.

Highet says: “The social conscience in Kingston has been very good, and everyone has incredibly understood that it is the right thing to do at the right time. “

He hopes business will return when it is safe. “Hopefully the new rules will work, but more than that, every time the city puts something like this in place, it gets people to pause and take notice.”

“So whether it’s the rules and these new times that are having an impact on improving things, or the fact that the city has had to take these measures, which are pushing our population back and saying ‘this is serious and something. which we need to watch, ”Highet says.