Bars and restaurants: Open Sesame!

While they have been closed since March 15 as well as “non-essential” establishments, cafes, bars and restaurants reopen on June 2 except in the Ile de France region where they are only allowed to open on the terrace.

Following this closure of 2 and a half months, the professionals are worried and have asked that measures be taken to help them, fearing catastrophic consequences. The Tourism Recovery Plan was therefore put in place on May 14. The measure of the City of Paris allowing professionals to temporarily enlarge or create their terrace is added to this plan.

From June 2, cafes, bars and restaurants open their doors to a clientele impatient to find the places of conviviality that they lacked so much. If the green zone allows the total opening of establishments with strict sanitary rules (10 people maximum per table, at least 1 meter between each group, standing consumption prohibited in bars …), it is not the same in the departments of Ile de France classified in the orange zone. For the latter, it will only be on the terrace.

In order to facilitate this resumption of activity and to promote compliance with health measures for physical distance, the City of Paris allows them to extend the facilities in public space between 8 am and 10 pm until September 30. In return, traders must sign a charter committing them to ensuring the movement of pedestrians and people with reduced mobility, the cleanliness of the premises, not to use disposable tableware and plastic cups, the safety of these extensions or to limit the nuisance vis-à-vis residents.

To benefit from an extension, it suffices to make a simple declaration on paris.fr for simple enlargements of their pre-existing installation (possibly in front of the window of a neighboring shop when it is closed and subject to its authorization), the occupation of one or more parking spaces, or even the occupation of median or pedestrian space.

A restaurateur or a group of restaurateurs can also request street pedestrianization, specifying on the deposit request the management procedures and closing times, emergency access, cleanliness management, etc. The project will be analyzed by city and district mayor services; about twenty streets identified by the APUR, by restaurateurs or great chefs could be easily closed to traffic. Professionals who do not respect their commitments will be fined and may lose their extension. Other measures complement the actions already announced:

-Exemption from rents for establishments located in the premises of lessors of the City and of SEMAEST

-Exemption from 6 months of taxes on displays and terraces for all restaurants and cafes in Paris.

-The launch of a support plan for the “Tourism” sector of 5 million euros.

The hotel and restaurant sector has been severely impacted by the pandemic, many of its players are worried about the future and will surely be forced to lay off workers. It was not until the phase 2 deconfinement announcements on May 28 that hope began to return. Indeed, following the announcements of May 14, after the start of the deconfinement on May 11, nothing had been planned for the sector whereas the summer holidays in July and August had been confirmed and that the shops (stores, hairdressers , aesthetic …) were open from the first day.

Relaxation of confinement in nursing homes which have implemented since last Friday a resumption of visits by relatives when the sanitary situation allows (no more than 2 people at a time outside and maximum 2 in a room) and the possibility to bring in minors and always wear a mask.

June 2 is an important date for many sectors: opening of educational establishments normally, all the beaches are open, the parks and gardens were reopened as of the weekend of Pentecost, the limit of displacements to more than 100 km from home is up, the StopCovid tracking application for tracking the spread of coronavirus is available.

100% of the SNCF offer will be marketed from mid-June with the lifting of the restriction of one seat in two occupied. However, the certificate to take public transport during rush hour in Ile-de-France remains mandatory until at least June 22.

The reopening of swimming pools, sports halls, gymnasiums will take place on June 22, as will the leisure parks, performance halls and theaters in the orange zone (June 2 in the green zone). Cinemas will open on June 22 throughout France.

The Fête de la Musique will take place on June 21 and the second round of municipal elections on June 28.

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VERONIQUE YANG

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