Like last year, the municipality decided to exempt traders from occupation rights in the public domain until the lifting of the curfew measures on June 30. A “helping hand” greeted with enthusiasm at the dawn of a new uncertain tourist season
The sun floods the place St. Nicolas to Bastia, this Thursday morning. In front of their establishments which are always closed doors, the traders take advantage of these last days “off” to prepare the long awaited reprise.
After seven months of closure due to sanitary restrictions, it will soon be possible to sit on the terrace for a drink or lunch with friends. May 19 will mark the beginning of the reopening, for the hour only on the terrace and until 9 p.m. However, the return of customers also means the return of certain charges.
A few days before the resumption, the town hall of Bastia has therefore provided a little help as a reopening gift: like last year, the municipality has decided to keep the public domain free for traders with a terrace.
This exemption must extend until the lifting of the curfew measures affecting the normal activity of businesses, that is to say on June 30th. In normal times, the latter must pay a fee, the rate of which is set according to the size, location and duration of opening over the year.
Extensions on a case-by-case basis
“It is a welcome help in this difficult context, especially as we have not used the terraces since the closure on October 29th”, explains Éric Liccioni, manager of Place cafe. Usually, for this downtown merchant, the rights to occupy the public domain represent an annual charge of some 3,100 euros. Far from being negligible in this period of crisis which has forced establishments to lower the curtain for nearly nine months since the start of the pandemic, in March 2020. This gradual reopening will also always be marked with the seal of restrictions. The tables should not have more than six people with a gauge set by the government at 50% for the terraces.
To ensure that traders can welcome the public in compliance with health measures of physical distancing, the municipality will also grant, on a case-by-case basis, extensions of terraces to traders who have them in order to help them revive the activity.
On the Place Saint-Nicolas, some traders would also see themselves temporarily pedestrianizing the Boulevard de Gaulle and extending their terraces to the central passage of the aisle of bars until their total reopening, on June 9, as during the first. deconfinement a year ago.
“This would allow us to spread out more for about twenty days, to maintain our ordinary reception capacity while respecting the distance of two meters between each table”, considers Michaël Gillot, manager of the pizzeria The Accounts. The complaint has been forwarded to the municipality. Objective: to optimize the space to accommodate more customers in secure conditions while waiting for a return to normal.
“We hope for an extension”
“The measures put in place are positive, but we hope that they can be extended and strengthened, in particular to support the businesses that are in the most difficulties., says Félix Benedetti, manager of the Sax, rue Neuve Saint-Roch, spokesman for the association of coffee growers, which brings together about a hundred coffee growers in Bastia. It would be a further boost, given the season which promises to be once again uncertain. “
In 2020, the municipality had already implemented free terraces throughout the year for some 150 cafetiers and restaurateurs. A measure which represented a loss of revenue of around 230,000 euros for the city.
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