Local restaurants are being served a plate of uncertainty after it was announced that the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is set to have its stay-at-home order lifted next week.
The Ontario government, which announced the move on Monday, says the Feb. 16 date remains a tentative one for London and Middlesex County, as the province noted all final decisions related to lifting stay-at-home orders “will be subject to review of the trends in public health indicators at that time.”
If the orders are lifted, it will move the region back into the province’s colour-coded framework for restrictions related to COVID-19, but there’s no word on what colour London and Middlesex County will be placed into.
During a virtual briefing hosted by the MLHU on Monday, London Mayor Ed Holder said the latest local data would indicate a move into the orange-restrict zone or the red-control zone.
“At this point, more orange,” Holder said.
Medical officer of health for the MLHU Dr. Chris Mackie noted that the decision lies with the Ontario government, adding that he’s yet to hear what the province is planning for the region.
“I did speak with the chief medical officer of health at lunch (on Monday) and we will speak again later in the week regarding where the community is moving to,” Mackie said on Monday.
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Should the region enter into the orange-restrict zone, restaurants will be allowed to provide indoor dining for up to 50 patrons, so long as physical distancing can be maintained.
The red-control zone only allows for up to 10 patrons inside.
Joelle Lees, owner of Michael’s on the Thames, is hoping London will end up in the orange.
“If we move into red, to have 10 people inside, it’s awful,” said Lees.
“It makes you think, ‘Why are we opening?’ We’re 202 seats, right? So to have 10 people inside at one time, why bother?”
While Michael’s on the Thames has been offering delivery and curbside pickup amid local stay-at-home orders, Lees says customers are already lining up to eat at the restaurant next week.
“We’ve got reservations for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (and) we have a small wedding on Saturday,” Lees said, adding that those reservations are dependent on which colour zone the region ends up in.
The uncertainty is also creating headaches for Adam Winkler of Winks Eatery, a Richmond Row restaurant that’s eyeing reopening next week.
“We need to order beer, we need to order food. Are we ordering for 10 people all the time or are we ordering for 50 people all the time?” Winkler said.
“We’re watching the news every day and we’re waiting to hear. I suspect it will be orange, but I can’t be going and ordering a bunch of food and beer for orange if they cut to red because then I’m going to be having a lot of waste and a lot of inventory.”
Winkler does find comfort in the fact that the potential lifting of the stay-at-home orders won’t take place until after Family Day weekend and Valentine’s Day, which he says are usually busy times for restaurants.
“I’m kind of hoping we hear (soon) if we’re going to be orange. Maybe my hair will grow back a little bit faster,” Winkler said.
“I need to know by Friday.”
The MLHU will hold a media briefing on Thursday afternoon as part of its commitment to holding two briefings per week related to COVID-19.
However, as noted by Mackie, the decision regarding where London and Middlesex County end up in the colour-coded framework is made by the province.
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