SUNDRE — Before it even got a chance to get off the ground, the restaurant rebellion relented and faltered.
Following the provincial government’s announcement on Tuesday, April 6 that Alberta was returning to Step 1 of the economic relaunch strategy — which involves pandemic protocols that include among other measures tighter rules restricting restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes to cease in-person dining — numerous establishments in Olds and Sundre declared their intent to nevertheless continue offering dine-in service.
But before the noon deadline on Friday, April 9, the owners had mostly decided to reluctantly reverse course.
“We have no choice but to reconsider,” said Chris Vardas, owner of Cedar’s Pub and Original T’s Family Restaurant in Sundre.
“It’s a criminal offence now if we stay open,” he said.
That means risking the loss of coveted liquor licences and food service permits, which owners simply cannot afford to lose, he said.
“Those licences for us, are gold,” he said.
“These are our livelihoods. If I get a criminal charge, I can never get that liquor licence back.”
So, for the time being, Vardas told The Albertan on Friday that he intends to abide by the restrictions that limit restaurants to providing takeout, delivery and patio service.
But outdoor dining is, of course, weather permitting, he said, adding snow was in the forecast for the weekend.
“So tell me, where are we going to make our money?”
However, he was appreciative of Sundre town council’s decision to “without hesitation” facilitate the process involved in obtaining temporary patio expansion permits at no cost until the restrictions are once again relaxed.
“But be prepared for a lot of businesses not to survive,” he said.
Although Vardas was not opposed to adhering to the regulations when the pandemic first started, the situation since then has changed.
“The first round, we survived. Everybody got money from the government to help us out,” he explained.
“The second round, there was no money given, and we barely survived. Three weeks into opening up again, (and) they’re shutting us down,” he said.
“So, realistically, even our staff, they’ve been pretty much on unemployment for a year basically, and they don’t even have enough hours in to claim again.”
Asked what he initially believed the ramifications of defying any return to tighter restrictions would be, Vardas said tickets.
“I was OK with the fines, and I was willing to fight the fines in court,” he said.
“But now, they’ve actually pulled the rug from right under us and they’re shutting down our livelihoods by doing this.”
He also expressed resentment regarding what he sees as a glaring difference in treatment between big box stores and malls compared with small businesses.
“Why doesn’t our government shut down the big stores, and let the small people survive this round?” he said.
“We all got to stick together and fight this battle together. But how do we fight a government we put into play, and now all of the sudden they’re taking the power away from us?”
Over at the Backwoods Bakery & Cafe, where owner Nicci Doyle had also initially intended to stay open for dine-in service past noon Friday, the decision to reverse course was not easy but perhaps inevitable in light of other establishments opting to adhere to the provincially mandated health regulations after all.
“In all honesty, I thought with all the businesses standing together and staying open — because I mean it wasn’t just going to be Sundre. It was gonna be Olds, it was gonna be Red Deer, it was gonna be all central Alberta basically — you think if you’re all standing together and making a statement, that maybe somebody would actually listen,” she said.
“You can’t win a battle standing alone,” she said, adding that if only one or a few establishments were to stay open for dine-in, that they would become easy targets for citations or worse.
“They could pull all of our licences,” she said about provincial authorities.
“They can permanently revoke them. So, obviously, giving thought to that, that weighed pretty heavy.”
Upon having discussions with other local owners who decided against risking losing their licence, she said, “I obviously followed suit.”
Keeping the business afloat was the main motivating factor behind her initial desire to continue offering in-person service.
And while she spoke favourably of Sundre council’s decision to facilitate the process to obtain temporary patio permits, Doyle said that unfortunately won’t benefit her business simply due to the location next to the Highway 27-Main Avenue corridor traffic lights at the Centre Street intersection.
“It just doesn’t work for us that way,” she said, pointing out that the Backwoods parking lot’s close proximity to the busy traffic corridor wouldn’t exactly be particularly conducive to providing an accommodating outdoor eating experience for customers.
All of that being said, she also wanted to express her gratitude for everyone’s ongoing support.
“It doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated, for sure.”
The owners of other establishments in Sundre who had also originally planned to continue offering dine-in service but in the end decided against it were Boondox and Piros family restaurants.
Among the eateries in Sundre whose owners have consistently remained onboard with the provincial mandates despite the financial hardships incurred along the way, was Burger Baron.
“Whatever we got to do to get through this, we’re going to do it,” said Ray Kamaleddine. “It’s not worth the risk to our family, our staff and the public,” he said on Friday.
“We’re just here to make an honest living,” he said.
Asked his thoughts on the situation regarding the ongoing roller coaster ride of pandemic protocols being relaxed only for restrictions to later be reimposed again, he said, “It’s getting old. But what can you do.”
Having recently completed renovations in his restaurant’s interior to accommodate protocols such as increased spacing and plastic dividers between booths for dine-in service only to have that portion of the business shut down, is disappointing, but Kamaleddine expressed optimism.
“Everyone’s doing good here — just sitting tight, and hopefully we get through this.”
