COVID-19: How bars and restaurants lived the first night of the curfew
Several cities in Europe applied bar and restaurant closures and a curfew to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
The inhabitants of Paris and its region and eight other cities are forbidden to travel from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am.
Now that France has imposed a curfew on Paris and its Ile-de-France region, and the cities of Aix-Marseille, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Montpellier, Rouen, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse, the streets are once again feeling a touch of loneliness. On Friday 26th at 11:59 pm, the curfew imposed by the authorities to mitigate Covid-19 infections took effect. Indeed, the number of daily cases in France reached 30,000.
The nightlife is then once again hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bars (with permission to operate) and restaurants in Paris were picking up their tables and chairs minutes before curfew. The well-known districts of Paris like 18 and 17 known for their numerous bars and restaurants were deserted among the customers who returned home.
“It’s 9:00 pm but it feels like 1:00 am,” a waiter told the newspaper Le Figaro. Some restaurateurs are planning to work under the new measures for a week to observe how the situation develops. “We’re going to observe, and we’re going to correct.” Many restaurateurs are still wondering about the aid they will receive from the government to compensate for the situation. “We will adapt but it is a great loss. The night is important for us.”
The bars and cafes of Paris and its suburbs had already been suffering since October 6, when the authorities declared a 15-day closure to control the epidemic by Covid-19. These establishments are ideal places for the circulation of the virus and more so in a region that has reached a state of maximum alert. For its part, the restaurants remained open but subject to stricter health standards.
Netherlands: parties before closure
In the Netherlands the authorities also imposed a curfew and the closure of several bars, cafes and restaurants. On Wednesday October 14th before the imposition of the new restrictions the inhabitants decided to make the party a little stronger than usual.
In a cafe in The Hague, before the closure of bars, restaurants and cafes, BBC journalist Anna Holligan videotaped a night with loud music and a packed crowd. The images outraged the community.
Same case in Rotterdam where before 10:00 p.m. the usual nightlife toasts were held one last time.
The Prime Minister announced on Tuesday, October 13, a “partial lockdown”. The next day he admitted to having made mistakes in the management of the crisis.
In addition, the sale of alcohol is prohibited from 8:00 pm, meetings of more than three guests in a house per day and amateur group sports.
Belgium closes all its bars and restaurants
Starting today, October 19th, all bars and restaurants in Belgium will be closed for four weeks. In addition, a curfew, as in France and the Netherlands, will take place from midnight to 5:00 am.
The restrictions imposed on social life will take effect from today to “avoid the worst,” said Flemish leader Alexander de Croo.
Until now the closure of the cafés only affected the Brussels region and lasted until the beginning of November. Therefore, the measure is being extended to the whole country and also affects restaurants, which was immediately described by those responsible for the sector as a disaster”.
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.
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