Manitoba restaurants sweeping up for patio openings Monday

Restaurants around Winnipeg are preparing for a quick turnaround after the province announced patios can open starting Monday.

The first phase of Manitoba’s reopening plan, announced Wednesday by Premier Brian Pallister, allows a variety of businesses shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic to reopen their doors.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Manitoba to implement phased reopening starting May 4

“First thought was ‘is it too soon a little bit?'” King’s Head Pub Owner Chris Graves said. “Then there was more excitement.

“We’ve just been grinding it out the past month and we are chomping at the bit and started setting up the patio.”

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The province has set out strict guidelines and requirements that will need to be followed.

Tables will need to be spaced two metres apart, occupancy is limited to half capacity, no buffets are allowed, and individual tables or common areas must have no more than 10 people.

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“We’re usually at about 80 people or so on the capacity of our patio,” Graves said. “We are going to be running probably around 30 to 35.”

Surfaces such as tables, chairs and booths must be cleaned between customers and all condiments, menus and decor must be removed from tables.

“We are going above and beyond (what is required),” Graves said.

“We will have a max of five people to a table, we are sanitizing, using disposable cups and cutlery, things like that.”

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Graves said his servers will also be wearing masks and gloves, which is not mandated by the province.

Customers will still be allowed inside to use the washrooms, which will now be sanitized more frequently and businesses must have a sanitation plan in place for their restaurant.

“We have another delivery of sanitizer coming Friday,” Saffron’s Restaurant Owner John Kolveris said.

“We’re ready to go.”

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Kolveris said his team has been planning for this since they were forced to close in March.

“Everybody’s going to be back on Monday and we’re ready to go,” he said. “We have reservations already, believe it or not.”

Kolveris said his business took an 80 per cent hit when it had to close as most of its revenue comes from the patio this time of year.

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“Usually the patio is going full blast by now,” Kolveris said. “We got a nice break but it was longer than we wanted.”

Saffron’s outdoor space has a 116-person capacity. Kolveris said they will only be making room for up to 50 people.

Kolveris said he has already been able to hire back some of his employees, who are mostly university students, and hopes to be able to keep hiring more when the province’s later reopening phases allow.