The New York City government plans to limit the nearly 13,000 outdoor dining areas that were created to help restaurants serve customers in open spaces and spaced tables, during the COVID-19 restrictions. But a bill would limit its operation only to the hot months. Setting up and taking down these structures is expensive and would not be profitable for many establishments.
“It has cost us about 20,000 dollars to maintain it for the three years that we have had it, it is not only putting it up but maintaining it, taking care of it, so that people feel comfortable, clean. It will affect us a lot, we have more or less 10 tables available outside, we sit an average of 20 people, that has helped us to expand the space we have in the restaurant”Says Gabriel Hostos, restaurant owner.
Complaints about the accumulation of garbage that attracts more rats, empty structures during the cold months, obstruction of public spaces and even traffic accidents have sparked a dispute between critics and supporters of open-air restaurants.
“Because of the issue of rats, there have been many, contamination too, a lot of garbage, because since that was about the covid restriction, I don’t know why it has spread and why they have left it there,” says Emmanuel Carbonell, a resident of Nueva York.
Under the proposal, temporary outdoor dining areas will be required to obtain a license and comply with various regulations for building materials, signage, measurements and weather protection. An official resolution is expected in the coming weeks.
