A cautious reopening for a downtown pub
Posted May 13, 2020 10:22 am.
Last Updated May 13, 2020 10:25 am.
CALGARY (CityNews) – From bus bins at the end of tables to ordering and paying online, one restaurant is changing things up as they prepare to reopen.
Bottlescrew Bill’s Pub is preparing to relaunch with full protective equipment for staff, online payment, and limited seating.
The patio at the bar will open at just 25 per cent capacity. The province is allowing 50 per cent capacity at restaurants and pubs for phase one but Bottlescrew Bill’s is being extra careful.
You also won’t see any cash or debit machines as payments and ordering will be done online.
“They enter what food and drinks they want. They enter the table number, they pay for it, it prints up inside and one of our staff members runs it out,” says general manager Geoff Allan.
RELATED: Alberta to make final decision on COVID-19 relaunch hours before Thursday target
Staff will be wearing masks and face shields and to help with distancing, there will be a bus bin at the end of every table where diners load it up and servers take it away.
A protective shield will also be installed at the bar and distancing signs will soon be up.
The province released health and safety guidelines for businesses Monday saying each dining party has to be two metres away from each other, and one-way traffic is recommended.
On the same block, CRAFT Beer Market also plans to open Thursday allowing 50 per cent capacity in seating areas.
It says with an 11,000 square foot space comparable to grocery stores, it’s confident it can maintain social distancing.
Staff are also working on the 4,000 square foot rooftop patio that’s expected to open next week.
.@CRAFTbeermarket will be one of the first more well-known concepts to reopen in #Alberta this Thursday, both it's #yyc and #yeg locations.https://t.co/w2pbIzU38R #COVID19AB
— Dan Clapson (@dansgoodside) May 12, 2020
Allan says he’s glad to have some activity at the bar but with downtown offices still empty, he doesn’t know if anyone will show up.
It may be more a trial for the relaunch and he’s asking for understanding.
“We’re hoping our customers that are coming here are patient with us and we’re just asking for a little bit of help from everyone to make this go smoothly.”
