At the weekend at Saint Marks Place in New York’s East Village, it was as if Corona had never happened. Hundreds of young people party on the street – without face masks and social distancing. The surrounding bars and restaurants serve the associated alcohol. What upset New York Governor Cuomo:
“Everyone wants to reopen, everyone wants their freedom back. Okay. But: Discipline is important. And local authorities must ensure that the rules are adhered to.” Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York
Hardly any restaurant adheres to the rules anymore
And they currently only allow the pick-up and delivery of food and drinks. Which is increasingly being ignored. Especially in the party districts of Manhattan and the Hamptons, where the city’s super-rich fled months ago. “We received 25,000 complaints about bars and restaurants that broke the rules,” says Cuomo. “And I tell them: you can lose your license to serve alcohol for this.”
A tough threat for an industry that is already deeply in crisis after three months of lockdown, says Andrew Rigie of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, an association of restaurateurs in the city: “Restaurants and bars are financially at the end of the line. And new Yorkers want to go out, meet other people. If we are now handing out parking tickets or withdrawing licenses, it will make the crisis worse. People are desperate, so they don’t obey the rules. “
New York is now focusing on outdoor dining
Many especially small restaurants have long since given up and closed forever. The takeaway income wasn’t even enough to pay the horrific New York rents. And those who have persevered so far are facing an uncertain future. “If in the future only 50 percent of the seats in restaurants are allowed to be occupied, that will not be enough. We have to compensate for the loss of income with more places to eat outside. That would also bring more life to the streets of New York. And that is so important to start a new post-corona normality, whatever it looks like, “continues Rigie.
If Rigie has his way, it looks unusual – with tables and chairs on the streets, sidewalks and parking lots. Because even New Yorkers are actually used to eating in fully air-conditioned rooms. This new eating culture in the open air could actually begin soon, at least if it was up to Governor Cuomo:
“The numbers look good. If it stays that way, we can start phase two on Monday.” Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York
The governor and mayor disagree
According to the four-stage opening plan, this also means that restaurants and bars can serve outside. With this surprising announcement, however, Cuomo caught Mayor de Blasio on the wrong foot. He had stepped on the brakes a few hours earlier:
“We believe that we will not see the effects of the mass protests and the first phase of opening until the weekend or the beginning of next week. We have to wait and see how all this will change the number of infections and thus the reality.” Bill de Blasio, New York Mayor
Not for the first time in this crisis, the governor and mayor contradict each other. To the chagrin not only of the catering industry:
“We would like clear announcements, as soon as possible. But there is still only uncertainty. And nobody knows what to expect.” Andrew Rigie, New York City Hospitality Alliance
Except maybe for the next illegal party weekend at Eastvillage.
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