Re-opening of the restaurants: a breath of fresh air

Kathy Rioux, owner of the Cafe Krieghoff on rue Cartier

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June 4, 2020

Updated June 5, 2020 at 16h48

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Re-opening of the restaurants: a breath of fresh air

Normand Provencher

The Sun

The reopening is likely the majority of the restaurants in the province, as of mid-June, the peak of the property owners who have been forced to put to an almost complete halt to their facility for the past two and a half months. It was more than time, claim they in chorus.

“It is a very good news. It is all in the happiness,” says Kathy Rioux, owner of the Café Krieghoff, on the avenue Cartier on the subject of the decision that should be made official by the government Legault Monday, according to The Journal de Montréal.

According to the plan of the CNESST, who is waiting for the approval of the department of public Health rooms, dining rooms and terraces of the restaurants will be able to welcome customers on June 15. Each institution will determine the number of tables available to them, in respect of the 2 meters of distance physical. Dispensers of disinfectant gel will need to be installed at the entrance, as well as the plexiglas in front of the cash.

The servers, the kitchen staff must wear mask, glasses, eye protection or visor. Groups of ten people will be accepted at the same table to the extent that they live in three different addresses maximum.

Permits for decks

Kathy Rioux has never completely closed its facility during the pandemic. Customers could pick up takeout and coffee shops. As a result, restarting the machine does not require a long period of time. “I am full ready. It remains for me to fill up my fridge and to make it fit my team. We will see those who wish to work again.”

His neighbor across the street, the Pub Galway, is also looking forward to the new, except that for its owner, it remains unclear related to the liquor licence necessary for its terrace on the street, on the weekends, when the street becomes pedestrian.

“I’m glad to have a date. This is the first milestone. More soon, we’ll begin, the sooner we will be at 100%, ” explains Yves Ledoux, adding that he would like to know what to expect for the issuance of the permit.

To the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux, a spokeswoman, Ms. Joyce Tremblay, explains that this “particular situation” will command a greater ease in the procedures. “We will do everything to ease the administrative rules so that licensees have the simpler life.” It gives the government the responsibility to announce the details next week.

The owner of the restaurants The 3 Boys and Sapristi, in the Old-Québec, as well as of Sapristi of the quartier Petit-Champlain, Jean-Philippe Letellier does not hide its satisfaction to finally have a date to circle on the calendar. “We expect to see the guide health to be able to force it to edge and prepare our game plan.”

Its three institutions can rely on a local clientele loyal, which enables him to hope for better days. “I am confident. We really believed in the Old-Quebec.” In fact, confidence is so at the appointment he will open another restaurant this summer in the old building of the Caisse Desjardins on the Sainte-Anne street.

The owner of the restaurant Les 3 Garçons, rue Saint-Jean, Jean-Philippe Letellier.

The Sun, Erick Labbé

Restaurant in the maghreb For 2 violins, boulevard René-Lévesque, Meziane Moulfi sees it as a breath of fresh air to the announcement of a reopening. “If we can find 30% or 35% of revenues, it’s going to be okay. If we stay closed any longer, it would be awful, it would be impossible to take the shot.” Since the beginning of the pandemic, the restorer has managed to put a little money in the kitty thanks to the take-out food, but it is estimated to be very far from the recipes usual.

Zero income

Cross Wednesday, while a date for the reopening of the restaurants had not leaked in the media, the owner of the Grand Café, on Grande-Allée, wished fervently that the recovery happens as quickly as possible. With a month of may to sign up in the loss column dry, Christopher Chouinard account on the rest of the summer to restore its financial health. This period account for 70% of its turnover. The cancellation of the summer Festival is another blow to him.

“It was pressing to re-open since the day we closed. We have rent to pay, a fixed charge, but zero income,” says he, flanked by his brother Robert, who came to give a helping hand to give lustre to the hotel’s terrace with a view of the great day. “You took out the tables and chairs. It was planted for$ 5000 of flowers, like this, are we going to be ready.”

The period of a dozen days to re-open his restaurant he will be a valuable aid to fill their fridges. Remains to be seen, he adds, if the suppliers will manage to meet demand simultaneous restaurateurs in the coming weeks. Not to mention the headache of recurring labor. “At this time of the year, I have forty employees. For the moment, I know that there are ten that are going to come back.”

Major shortfall

This light at the end of the tunnel will allow the owners to remplumer a little bit. The pandemic was expensive. “I feel that I am missing 70 000$ in my pockets,” says Yves Ledoux, of which the irish pub was not able to take advantage this year of the festival and the parade of the Holy Patrick.

The owner of another pub in the Old Port, The Claddagh, which opened in 2016, it waits to see if the officials of the Palace of justice and the SAAQ will be back in September, after an episode of telework.

“If I don’t have servants or tourists, what do I do? If the bank gives me a little game, I might be able to open in September and wait for it to come back quietly. Otherwise, I’ll have to take a decision accordingly.”

Le Soleil