Some P.E.I. restaurants having to turn away customers

P.E.I. restaurants and other tourism businesses were the busiest last weekend they've been since before the pandemic, with a civic holiday in the Maritimes last Monday.

In fact, it was so busy that some customers had to be turned away.

Businesses including restaurants and theatres are limited by P.E.I. public health measures to 50 patrons or fewer at a time, depending on the amount of space in the venue. Tables must be placed two metres or six feet apart, and staff can seat no more than 10 customers per table.

"It's too bad — the demand was there and we were not able to service it," said Kevin Murphy, CEO of Murphy Hospitality Group and a spokesperson for P.E.I.'s Business Continuity Group.

The group was formed during the COVID-19 lockdown as a voice for business to lobby governments and come up with solutions.

"When we have our busy tourism season, when we have our peak and there's demand there for it, it's very frustrating for the operator" not to be permitted to do as much business as possible while staying safe, he said.

The group has been meeting every week and continues to lobby the P.E.I. government to change the 50-patron cap, Murphy said.

'Industry is struggling'

Restaurants and other hospitality businesses re-opened on P.E.I. in early June. The Atlantic bubble was launched in early July, allowing less restrictive travel among residents of P.E.I., N.S., N.B and N.L.

"We've seen a little bit of a tick up with the Atlantic Canada bubble," Murphy said. "The industry is struggling ... A lot of operators are doing what they can just to I guess get through 2020."

Even if the capacity rules change, business will only be a fraction of what it was, he added.

"It's very difficult to imagine how you can operate a business with 50 per cent of what you normally [take in]," he said.

The fall could be even more grim. It's typically a time when seniors travel, but Murphy predicts that will not happen. COVID-19 has so far hit seniors much harder than younger people; they are more likely to become seriously ill or die if they are exposed to coronavirus.

"There's still a real uncertainty of what the fall, winter brings in regards to business," he said. 

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