Starting Tuesday dining in at some Victoria restaurants will be back on the table.
But it will be a very different experience from pre-COVID times.
The province green-lighted restaurants opening, provided safety precautions are followed such as proper distancing and putting Plexiglass where needed.
Victoria’s II Terrazzo is expected to open on May 28 and staff are taking extra steps beyond Plexiglass barriers and distanced tables.
“We have hired sanitation[that] will just be coming in and spending eight hours a day sanitizing the restaurant,” said co-owner Shellie Gudgeon.
“Our kitchen will be provided with a PPE package. We will have temperature checks, they will be voluntary.”
It’s been nine weeks since II Terrazzo closed their doors, they are relieved to finally open for locals
“They are the soul of our business,” Gudgeon said.
“I am hoping there will be enough locals in the city that come downtown and support all the small businesses and restaurants that are doing their best.”
However, some restaurants say they need more clarity from officials about what things should look like.
“There does seem to be ambiguity again,” said Gudgeon. “So that’s a little disappointing. We wish it was a little more clear. The concern is if we had Plexiglas partitions, is that okay to not have the six feet? we will be contacting Island Heath on Tuesday morning.”
Every seat will count in keeping restaurants going as tourism is currently at a standstill due to the pandemic.
Another roadblock is getting Plexiglass.
“We used to have pallets of martial on hand and then of course we have off-cuts form cutting full sheets,” said Ron Sherring of Victoria’s Industrial Plastics & Paints.
“Even the off-cuts are dwindling down now. We are using every piece that we have.”
Delivery dates for Plexiglass, which costs a third of other materials, are being pushed as far back as October.
“We phone everywhere in the city yesterday afternoon once we had the screens,” said Gudgeon.
“It was either really expensive, I think 225 or 250 dollars a sheet, and then everyone said they don’t have it. I was able to find gentlemen in Duncan who has it.”
It’s another barrier to get the many restaurants who are barely hanging on going again.
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Julian Kolsut
