After a month of new liquor restrictions issued by the government of British Columbia, Kelowna watering holes are calling out for help.

On Sept. 8, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered a ban on alcohol sales in restaurants, bars and pubs after 10 p.m., as well as requiring them to close by 11 p.m. if the kitchen doesn香蕉视频直播檛 remain open. In addition, Henry ordered nightclubs and stand-alone banquet halls to shut down completely.

With local bars and restaurants trying to get back on their feet after having to close their doors for several months due to COVID-19, the new restrictions have knocked many establishments back down, losing out on prime hours after 10 p.m.

Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Social 242 Lounge and Grill on downtown Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Lawrence Avenue is one of those establishments. With a business model that teeters to those looking for a club-like vibe, Social opens its doors at 5 p.m. and is usually open until late, raking in the bulk of its sales after 10 p.m.

香蕉视频直播淭he crummy thing for us is we don香蕉视频直播檛 open for lunch and generally it starts getting busy around seven-ish, so there香蕉视频直播檚 really only three hours of work for us since we can香蕉视频直播檛 serve booze past 10,香蕉视频直播� said Social 242 owner Daniel Mulgrew.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e noticing our 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. customers are showing up, but our normal 9 p.m. customers just aren香蕉视频直播檛 because there香蕉视频直播檚 really no point to come for just one hour.香蕉视频直播�

And as the clock strikes 10 p.m., bar and pub owners are beginning to notice a nightly parade to the nearest liquor store, as they香蕉视频直播檙e currently allowed to stay open until 11 p.m.

香蕉视频直播淭he business essentially gets driven underground. There香蕉视频直播檚 no contact tracing at house parties and there are no precautions,香蕉视频直播� said Dave Willoughby, owner of Doc Willoughby香蕉视频直播檚 on Bernard Avenue. 香蕉视频直播淭hat seems to be a real disconnect between Dr. Bonnie Henry and the provincial government, and the hospitality industry. They don香蕉视频直播檛 understand how it works.香蕉视频直播�

Willoughby香蕉视频直播檚 frustrations recently made waves in Victoria after he added a message to the bar香蕉视频直播檚 receipts calling on his patrons to 香蕉视频直播榁ote that f*cker out香蕉视频直播� in reference to B.C. Premier John Horgan and the provincial government香蕉视频直播檚 handling of the hospitality industry throughout the pandemic.

香蕉视频直播淚t certainly got a strong response,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding Doc Willoughby香蕉视频直播檚 was forced to register as a third-party advertiser with Elections BC, but the message has since been removed from the receipts.

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Now open just 25 hours a week, Mulgrew said the restrictions are taking a toll on his staff, stating Social has very seldom had turnover, until now.

香蕉视频直播淚 feel really bad for my staff. They香蕉视频直播檙e in a really hard position. Almost all of them are looking for second jobs now. There hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been any action from the province in regards to helping out the hospitality industry.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e already had one staff member leave because they had to find more hours.香蕉视频直播�

While Doc香蕉视频直播檚 may have more hours to go around for its staff, being open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, servers are leaving their shifts with lighter-than-usual pockets.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 one thing to have your shift cut in half, but it香蕉视频直播檚 another thing altogether to work as a server and not have any customers and not have any tips,香蕉视频直播� said Willoughby. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 quite a bit worse for them.香蕉视频直播�

Mulgrew is an owner who takes pride in his staff and as a token of appreciation, he decided to close shop for a week and take his staff on a trip to Tofino.

香蕉视频直播淲ith the curfew right now we香蕉视频直播檙e only open 25 hours a week, so it kind of seemed like a good time to jet out of town and explore somewhere else. They香蕉视频直播檙e my family I want to make sure they香蕉视频直播檙e looked after as best as possible.香蕉视频直播�

When asked about remodelling to be open longer, Mulgrew said his establishment香蕉视频直播檚 location doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have enough foot traffic to warrant being open at lunchtime and Willougby said food sales don香蕉视频直播檛 net them enough money to make pushing their hours to 2 a.m. worthwhile.

香蕉视频直播淲e could stay open until 2 a.m. selling hotdogs 香蕉视频直播� but it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 make any sense,香蕉视频直播� Willoughby said. 香蕉视频直播淗ow many hotdogs do you have to sell to keep the lights on?香蕉视频直播�

With few new COVID-19 cases within Interior Health, both Mulgrew and Willoughby said they would like to see action from the province, noting their businesses shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have to suffer because of high case-counts in the Lower Mainland.

香蕉视频直播淚 think it makes a lot more sense to regionalize (the restrictions),香蕉视频直播� said Mulgrew.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 understand why the province has to blanket it so much, especially when we have so little cases here. It is heavy-handed and poorly thought out.香蕉视频直播�

While both establishments will remain open for now, Willoughby said Kelowna is at a 香蕉视频直播渢ipping point,香蕉视频直播� at risk of losing some of its most iconic drinkeries.

香蕉视频直播淭here are closures already happening (across the province),香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e at a point where we香蕉视频直播檙e employing our staff, not because we can afford to, but because we want to give them a job. We香蕉视频直播檙e absorbing the losses right now. And you can only do that for so long.

香蕉视频直播淚f things taper off any further, we could be forced to close, and it would be an indefinite closure until things improve.香蕉视频直播�

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