Restaurants react to sudden closure of indoor dining

Business owners are fed up. Especially restaurant owners, who learned Monday they will have to close their indoor dining Wednesday, says Eduardo Lafforgue, president of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce.

“What I’m hearing is that everyone is fed up, we all are. We keep hearing the provincial people trying to explain what they’re doing, in some cases really going back to the worst part of the lockdown.”

It’s always a struggle when announcements are made to work through them and figure out who has to do what, he said.

Chamber staff were busy dismantling their computers to take home, where they will be working for the next few weeks, their office shut down. Their icewine festivities, which have been in the planning stages since August, including an almost sold-out gala, have been postponed, and staff are busy refunding ticket sales.

Although all restaurants have to close indoor dining, at least until Jan. 26, some are opting to continue to use their outdoor patios, and offering takeout, while others are shutting down completely.

On King Street, The Irish Harp will keep their heated patio open, which has continued to be popular, and offer takeout and delivery, says owner Jovie Joki.

Caroline Cellars, on Line 2 in Virgil, is shutting its restaurant completely, says front of house manager Justine Lakeit, with no takeout, but will keep its wine boutique open for purchases only.

With most winter activities now cancelled, there won’t be a lot going on in town, and some restaurants wouldn’t be doing enough business to justify staying open, says Lafforgue.

“Some of the restaurants are closing completely because of COVID, but it’s the slow season, and January activities are being cancelled. For some, there won’t be enough takeout customers to make it worth staying open.”

One difference from the previous lockdown is the province is also shutting down short-term rentals. “That is very unfair. They did a great job of sanitizing and following all the protocols.”

Although this is difficult for everybody, Lafforgue says, “what I don’t hear is despair. I don’t feel that right now. But it may come to that if this continues throughout February and March.”

Maria Mavridis, general manager of two family businesses, Corks Wine Bar & Eatery and the Firehall Flame on Queen Street, says she closed down the smaller of the two restaurants two weeks ago and moved all her staff to Corks. Now she is shutting down everything. Corks has a great patio, but it’s considered enclosed, so she can’t keep it open, and Queen Street doesn’t attract enough takeout business to make staying open worthwhile.

Also an organizer of events and fundraisers, Mavridis is busy cancelling all the arrangements for them as well, including the popular Icebreakers Comedy Festival later this month, and a Boyz II Men concert that was scheduled for Feb. 5 at White Oaks Conference Centre and Spa.

Mavridis acknowledges people are sick of restrictions, but says,  “I hope people will do what they need to do. If everyone does their part now we’ll be okay. Let’s play it safe, and hope to see the ‘end-demic’ in April. And let’s remember why we’re doing this. It’s because of the shortage of staff in hospitals, in health care, in all businesses. We’ve had it happen here with staff — I had to send staff home, and we’re not the only restaurant in town doing that.”

Although “it sucks to be going through this, we’re all in it together. Do what you have to do, stay home, and we’ll get through it.”