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DISCLAIMER: The owner of the bar, Alexander Arnø, has chosen to close all his bars, although he is allowed to remain open. He believes the government is sending mixed signals. Photograph: Paul S. Amundsen / Bergens Tidende
While Oslo turns off the taps completely, Bergen’s bars can stay open for a few hours every day. At the same time, people are being asked to stay home: – It is becoming increasingly difficult to take this seriously, says bareier.
– I understand well those who choose to stay open, it’s a matter of keeping things going financially and being loyal to customers. This is something I also want to do, but it seems to me completely incompatible with what the government wants from us as individuals. The calculation does not rise.
Alexander Arnø, who runs the Stereo, Tempotempo, Nedre Nygård and Okidoki nightclubs in Bergen, says this over the phone to VG.
Arnø chose to close its four nightclubs after hearing the national measures that were released on Thursday.
– Erna gave everyone a clear message to stay home. My industry is about being social. If the government believes that we should not meet, then it is the same as saying that we should close.
The day after Arnø closed, the Bergen city council presented new local measures.
Although the new measures in Bergen hit the nightlife and restaurant industry hard, they still do not require a drinking end point, as decided in Oslo.
As of Saturday, November 7, Bergen pubs will close no later than 22.00, and the discharge stops from kl. 21.30.
The various recommendations make Arnø react.
– This will just be a hopeless halfway point where you will not be able to run a store or observe infection control rules. It’s starting to be difficult to take this seriously.
PREFERRED LOCKOUT: The owner of the bar, Alexander Arnø, thinks it would be better with a complete closure for the bars in Bergen, so they could get back to normal more quickly. Photograph: Paul S. Amundsen / Bergens Tidende
– Better to close everything
The bar owner is aware that he supports the introduction of measures to get rid of the infection in the community.
Still, he marvels at the way this has been handled since the pandemic broke out.
– Politicians boast of having more focused measures now than in March, but the most important thing for us is that we avoid repeating what we have experienced once again with harshness and semi-restrictions. Get it right, rather than turning it off completely.
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You wonder what happens if the Bergen city hall says after three weeks that nothing works.
– Everyone in this industry has taken action. I’m not complaining, but it has accumulated extra expenses and costs for us. I think many of them will resign now, many more than if the government had decided to act earlier.
– For our industry, I think it is better to close everything for four weeks, says Arnø.
Waiting for help from owners and suppliers
Arnø himself believes that he now depends on the owners and suppliers being understanding.
– They have to be flexible when they pay me for things for everyone. I do not want to incur additional debt.
The difficult thing, he thinks, is that they have no time perspective on how long this will last or when the next “salary” will come.
– On the one hand, I don’t want to close too well now, so I lose a lot of money. At the same time, I lose even more if I feel like this for six months and wait.
KEEP THE COOK: Assistant Operations Manager at Stress-Free Bar in Bergen, Simon Bronse, tells VG that they will try to keep up despite the limited service time. Photograph: Paul S. Amundsen / Bergens Tidende
Stays Open: – We Will Survive This
Deputy Operations Manager at the Stress Free Bar in Bergen, Simon Bronse, unlike Arnø, has chosen to keep the bar open.
– It will be terribly difficult to keep us going. But we will be open during the hours that we are allowed, from Sunday to Thursday until 9:30 p.m., says Bronse by phone to VG.
He thinks there will be fewer guests and a difficult financial time for the club, but he thinks there is light at the end of the tunnel.
– You ask people to be at home, so I completely understand.
– But we will survive this, we will overcome it, we will make it, he says.
