Response from Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance.
Getting answers about opening up indoor dining for restaurants in New York City has been a challenge, said NYC Hospitality Alliance executive director Andrew Rigie on Monday.
“These are small business owners as well as local restaurant and bar owners. They are financially destroyed. They see restaurants outside of New York City working for weeks, if not months now, “Rigie told Fox & Friends First. “
Rigie said New York City local restaurant owners “have no idea when” indoor dining will return to a 50% reduction in occupancy.
‘Even then, it will be incredibly difficult. They have no plan, ‘said Rigie.
STRUGGLING RESTAURANT OWNERS HOSED AFTER NYC CRIPPLES OUTDOOR DINING
As autumn soon arrives, a coalition of New York City restaurants is calling on state and local officials to devise a plan to restore indoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a virtual news conference on Wednesday, the New York City Hospitality Alliance – which represents thousands of restaurants, bars and clubs – demanded action from Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio.
According to a report by Wednesday in Gothamist, indoor dining with 50% capacity has been allowed elsewhere in New York State since June, but not in the Big Apple – the last part of New York to rebuild.
NYC RESTAURANT OWNER: RESTAURANTS DO NOT WANT TO ‘SURVIVE’ WITH THE BLASIO SENT IN THE DAY ‘
On Tuesday, the Blasio reiterated that the “most important thing … is to get to the point where we have a fax, and then we can really come back.”
But when exactly a vaccine for coronavirus would be made available – if that is the case – is unclear. While some say the chance is winter, others predict it will not happen by 2021.
Rigie said there are 200,000 restaurant workers who have been out of work since March. Rigie said some small business owners are suing New York.
“Something has to happen,” Rigie said.
Rigie went on to say. ‘We say if you do not let us open tomorrow, think what? You need to give us a plan so that small business owners can plan for their future. They do not know if they can try to continue with their own personal savings to keep their restaurant on the floor or they just throw the keys back to their landlord to say ‘I will not be able to do this because I do not ‘I do not know when I can reopen.’
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A spokesman for the mayor later explained that a vaccine is not “a definite requirement for food inside,”
Meanwhile, one-third of the city’s small businesses have already closed, including many of its 27,000 restaurants.
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