Indoor dining could be in danger
Cuomo’s warning prompts new anxiety from NYC restaurant industry
BY MARK HALLUM
Leaders in the New York
restaurant industry are pushing
back on Governor Andrew
Cuomo’s announcement
Monday that he will shut
down indoor dining across
the fi ve boroughs if COVID-19
levels don’t fl atten over a
fi ve-day period.
Two groups are speaking
out against the policy the
governor announced alongside
Dr. Anthony Fauci, in
which the organizations regard
“clamp down” as an approach
that ignores specifi c
COVID-19 data. They argue
another round of closures
will bring further dire consequences
to an industry rocked
by mass layoffs and business
closures during the fi rst wave
of the virus in the spring.
Melissa Fleischut, president
of the New York State
Restaurant Association (NYSRA),
said without federal
stimulus funds for restaurants,
widespread layoffs during
the holidays would be the
only recourse for establishments
struggling for survival
this winter.
“Based on the current metrics
and projections, Governor
Cuomo has given New
Yorkers a one-week warning
that indoor dining will
likely be shut down, regardless
of the number of positive
cases that are specifi cally
tied back to restaurants,”
Fleischut said. “The confusing,
patchwork system of micro
clusters, regional restrictions
and blanket statewide
rollbacks has made it virtually
impossible for restaurants
to continue indoor dining.
Whether it is positivity
rate or hospitalization rate,
all of these factors are outside
of restaurants’ control. With
the looming limits on indoor
dining and outdoor dining
no longer practical, many of
our members will be forced to
shut their doors, and for some
it may be their fi nal service.”
According to Cuomo, the
fi ve day hospitalization rates
will determine whether or
not indoor dining is in the
Mario’s on Arthur Avenue.
Courtesy of the Belmont BID
cards for patrons regardless
of whether or not cases are
traced back to eateries and
bars. According to Cuomo,
the statewide infection
rate stood at about 4.7% as
of Sunday.
BRONX TIMES R 56 EPORTER, DECEMBER 11-17, 2020 BTR
“If after fi ve days, we
haven’t seen a stabilization in
a region’s hospital rate, we’re
going to clamp down on indoor
dining,” Cuomo said on
Monday. “Five days, if the hospitalization
rate doesn’t stabilize
in New York City, we’re
going to close indoor dining.
We’re now at 25% in New York
City. In the rest of the state,
any region where the hospitalization
rate doesn’t stabilize,
then out of 50% capacity
indoor dining, we’re going to
go to 25%.
Andrew Rigie, executive
director of the NYC Hospitality
Alliance, pointed out that
not only does Manhattan have
the highest concentration of
restaurants in the state, it
also has a lower infection rate
compared to other counties at
2.5% which is also the sevenday
rolling average.
The alliance has previously
reported survey results
which found that most restaurants
in New York City
were barely able to make the
rent even after outdoor dining
was made available in
the summer.
“New York City’s highly
regulated, reduced occupancy,
well-ventilated and
COVID-19 compliant restaurants
have gone above and
beyond to protect the health
and safety of their customers
and employees. Indeed, Governor
Cuomo said that 70% of
recent cases come from “living
room” spread, not restaurants,
and the NYC Department
of Health has zero data
demonstrating that increased
infection rates are a result of
our highly restricted restaurants,”
Rigie said. “Another
forced government closure
of New York City restaurants
will cause an irreversible
harm on even countless more
small businesses and the
hundreds of thousands of
workers they employ, especially
if it is not coupled with
fi nancial relief.”
While restaurants brace
for another period of possible
shutdowns, many continue
to try to make outdoor
dining work.
Rockwell Group and Pershing
Square Capital Management
are hoping to boost
the outdoor dining experience
in winter by giving restaurants
access to heaters
throughout corridors such
as Mott Street in Chinatown,
an effort which came
with a stamp of approval
from Rigie.
James E. MaQuade, Owner
Family Owned & Operated for over 60 years
3535 East Tremont Avenue
Bronx, New York
718-792-0270
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