Several weeks’ ago, it was announced that, as lockdown restrictions were being eased, the Quay would be closed to traffic to allow seafront eateries and bars to provide an al fresco service.
Unfortunately, this came as a surprise to the establishments, many of whom said they would not open due to the likely lack of return on investment.
In order to provide the facility, a licence is required and some places were not prepared to pay. And of those that were, not all were in a position to take advantage of the idea so quickly.
Yesterday though, there were five establishments providing outdoor service and the fine weather had brought out a healthy number of people to enjoy food, or just a drink, in the sunshine.
Among them was Indian restaurant Taj, whose assistant manager Abdur Rahim said it had provided outdoor service in response to demand.
The restaurant had moved its indoor tables and chairs outdoors and Mr Rahim said trade had been all right. ‘For the first time, it’s not bad. We’ll do it again depending on the situation.’
Next door, Mora managing director Andre Moreira had also provided al fresco dining for the first time this summer.
The restaurant regularly offers outdoor food and drink on Seafront Sundays and Mr Moreira said they would have done it sooner but it had not been able to get a licence in time.
‘I’m from Portugal and this should happen every Sunday,’ he said.
‘It’s beautiful.
‘Now it depends on the States if we can keep doing it.’
Balthazar was also bustling and manager Ana Costa said this was the restaurant’s first al fresco service of the summer, too,
‘We didn’t have the licence before,’ she said.
‘We were ready to open last week.’
The business had opened its doors to patrons for the first time post-lockdown last Wednesday, she added.
Offering al fresco dining on Sundays in future will depend on the weather, said Miss Costa.
‘We plan to do it every week if we can.
‘It’s a good idea, especially if there are no more Seafront Sundays.’
It was drinks only outside the PingQuay Bar, where its finance director Mike Bishop-White was enjoying a drink with friends himself.
‘We did some Seafront Sundays last year and we got a licence for eight of them this year,’ he said.
‘The States asked everybody along the front if they wanted to make an application.’
He planned to continue opening each week.
Home Affairs committee president Mary Lowe said the committee had deferred the renewal of liquor licences until later in the year and was acutely aware of the need to support businesses at this difficult time.
‘The committee will continue to work closely with colleagues across government to explore measures that may further support businesses in the coming weeks and months,’ she said.
Home does not get a fee for the extension to a licence needed to offer al fresco services, she said, but applicants must pay a fee of £62 to the court and £84 to the parish constables.
The application has to be sent to Home Affairs a week before the court considers the matter.
‘Following the announcement to ease restrictions and allowing certain premises to open, officers at Home Affairs worked quickly, and with the support of the courts and the parish constables to ensure that premises wishing to extend their licences had the appropriate permission from the court to allow them to do so by the following weekend,’ said Deputy Lowe.
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