The French, wherever they are on the national territory, will be able to sit down on the terrace, Wednesday, May 19. Prime Minister Jean Castex confirmed this in an interview with the newspaper The Parisian, Tuesday May 11. He also corroborated the main lines of the reopening, in three stages, of the bars and restaurants.
The owners of bars and restaurants now know all the rules of the game. Initially, they will be able to welcome their customers on the terrace, provided however that the number of guests is limited to six per table. And to respect a gauge set at 50% of the number of potential seats. Without forgetting that the service will have to stop before 9 p.m., the new curfew schedule. The interior room must remain closed.
A real relief for consumers in a hurry to reconnect with their favorite bars and restaurants. The profession, for its part, remains cautious. First, because only a quarter of establishments have a terrace. The weather is also a very random data for this open-air reopening. Finally, it favors the bar offering, which is easier to set up than catering.
Clearly drawn roadmap
“The terrace with a 50% gauge is not an economic model. We knew the May 19 opening was going to be complicated. We will think about it before bringing back the staff on short-time work. For my part, I will bring my team back on June 9, with the opening of the restaurant ”reacts Hubert Jan, president of the UMIH-Restauration union and owner of the restaurant Chez Hubert in Fouesnant, in Finistère.
On June 30, curfews and gauges will be lifted. Only bar service will remain prohibited
Indeed, June 9 will mark the second time of the reopening. On this date, the terraces will no longer be subject to a gauge and the dining rooms will be able to open with a capacity limited to 50%. The number of guests will remain limited to six per table. And the curfew will drop again, going to 11 p.m. Enough to ensure the dinner service and give the real kick-off to a gradual resumption of catering.
Finally, three weeks later, on June 30, curfews and gauges will be lifted, marking the third time in the reopening of bars and restaurants. Only bar service will remain prohibited. In this sketch, confirmed by Mr. Castex, there is no longer any question of possible restrictions by geographical areas depending on the health situation.
With this clearly drawn roadmap, each establishment will now refine its speed of recovery and recall of troops. Some might even wait until September to reopen. In particular in Paris, if the return of foreign tourists turns out to be too timid this summer.