Today is a day of excitement as well as disappointment for restaurateurs, who have so looked forward to reopening their doors for a Sit-Down Service. The official reopening date is today, but sadly it appears that many restaurant doors will remain closed, restaurateurs citing the prohibition of serving alcohol with a meal, and this being the quietest time of the year for restaurants as the reasons why they will not reopen now, continuing with their Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection Service. Continue reading →
Just before midnight last night the Government released the updated Level 3 regulations for the businesses which are allowed to reopen, including Restaurants for Sit-Down Service, Personal Care businesses, theaters, cinemas, and casinos. Whilst the dreadful news that ‘on-site consumption of alcohol is prohibited’, seemingly not only in restaurants, is confirmed through the new regulations, Restaurateurs remain in the dark as to when Restaurants are allowed to reopen, and which regulations are to be followed. While theaters and cinemas have an attendance limit announced in the updated Level 3 regulations, they too do not have reopening dates. Should 1 July be the reopening date, Restaurants will have less than five days to get themselves organised and prepared for reopening!
It is unbelievable that the Government is keeping Restaurants, Bars, Shebeens, and Taverns in the dark as to the reopening date, as well as the regulations which will determine under which conditions Restaurants may welcome back diners for Sit-Down Service, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa over a week ago. If restaurants are to reopen on 1 July, as is assumed, it gives them less than a week to set up after a three-month closure due to Lockdown Levels 5 and 4. 
While President Ramaphosa spoke to the nation on Wednesday evening, announcing the long-awaited news that restaurants are to reopen for Sit-Down Service on an as yet unnamed date, a Tweet was sent out by the Government information service, announcing that the following is prohibited: ‘Consumption of Alcohol in restaurants, bars, shebeens, and taverns’ . This has caused a shitstorm in the restaurant industry, already struggling to make ends meet via Restaurant Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection. Furthermore, a bar, tavern, and shebeen that does not serve alcohol is a farce, and cannot survive!