With liquor sales ending early, Northern B.C. pubs and bars struggle with COVID-19 restrictions

A Prince George, B.C., pub owner says the COVID-19 restrictions in Northern Health are having a “large impact” on his business.

“We found out with the rest of the province,” Troy McKenzie, owner of The Black Irish Clover, “so we found out at 3:30 p.m. that we were supposed to close at 10 that night.”

“I think that the province is telling us it’s young, unvaccinated people that are the problem and causing the high rates in hospitals. Well, we have to have a vaccine passport at present so you can’t come into my business unless you’re vaccinated. So it doesn’t seem the attack is really what the problem is.”

McKenzie said they also bring in live bands from places such as Calgary and Vancouver and the future of that program may be in jeopardy.

He added there’s no more government assistance coming so he’s hoping they can make it through these latest round of restrictions.

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Restrictions in the Northern Health region include requiring that people be fully vaccinated to enter any place where the BC Vaccine Card applies, a 10 p.m. end to liquor sales, and the closure of liquor-serving businesses that don’t also serve food.

Jeff Guignard, executive director of ABLE BC (B.C.’s Alliance of Beverage Licensees), told Global News they are hearing from a lot of restaurant and pub owners in Northern B.C. that don’t understand why liquor sales have to end at 10 p.m., as all their customers have to show proof of vaccination anyway.

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“We’re not really sure what that’s supposed to solve,” he said.

“I just don’t understand why ending liquor sales at 10 p.m. is going to (decrease case numbers).”

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Guignard said they are concerned people are just going to hang out and drink in private homes, versus establishments where people must be vaccinated.

The communities of Kitimat, Terrace, Haida Gwaii, Stikine, Nisg̱a’a, Telegraph, and Prince Rupert are exempt from the new orders due to high levels of immunization.

Just six per cent of B.C.’s population lives in the Northern Health region, but over the past week, it has accounted for about a quarter of all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the province.

“These rules tend to disproportionally impact the hospitality industry over and over again in this pandemic,” Guignard added. “We’ve been losing money or breaking even for the past 18 months.”

He added they are advocating the government for an assistance package for restaurants and bars.