After a month of new liquor restrictions issued by the government of British Columbia, Kelowna watering holes are calling out for help.

On Sept. 8, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered a ban on alcohol sales in restaurants, bars and pubs after 10 p.m., as well as requiring them to close by 11 p.m. if the kitchen doesn含羞草研究社檛 remain open. In addition, Henry ordered nightclubs and stand-alone banquet halls to shut down completely.

With local bars and restaurants trying to get back on their feet after having to close their doors for several months due to COVID-19, the new restrictions have knocked many establishments back down, losing out on prime hours after 10 p.m.

Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 Social 242 Lounge and Grill on downtown Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 Lawrence Avenue is one of those establishments. With a business model that teeters to those looking for a club-like vibe, Social opens its doors at 5 p.m. and is usually open until late, raking in the bulk of its sales after 10 p.m.

含羞草研究社淭he crummy thing for us is we don含羞草研究社檛 open for lunch and generally it starts getting busy around seven-ish, so there含羞草研究社檚 really only three hours of work for us since we can含羞草研究社檛 serve booze past 10,含羞草研究社� said Social 242 owner Daniel Mulgrew.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e noticing our 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. customers are showing up, but our normal 9 p.m. customers just aren含羞草研究社檛 because there含羞草研究社檚 really no point to come for just one hour.含羞草研究社�

And as the clock strikes 10 p.m., bar and pub owners are beginning to notice a nightly parade to the nearest liquor store, as they含羞草研究社檙e currently allowed to stay open until 11 p.m.

含羞草研究社淭he business essentially gets driven underground. There含羞草研究社檚 no contact tracing at house parties and there are no precautions,含羞草研究社� said Dave Willoughby, owner of Doc Willoughby含羞草研究社檚 on Bernard Avenue. 含羞草研究社淭hat seems to be a real disconnect between Dr. Bonnie Henry and the provincial government, and the hospitality industry. They don含羞草研究社檛 understand how it works.含羞草研究社�

Willoughby含羞草研究社檚 frustrations recently made waves in Victoria after he added a message to the bar含羞草研究社檚 receipts calling on his patrons to 含羞草研究社榁ote that f*cker out含羞草研究社� in reference to B.C. Premier John Horgan and the provincial government含羞草研究社檚 handling of the hospitality industry throughout the pandemic.

含羞草研究社淚t certainly got a strong response,含羞草研究社� he said, adding Doc Willoughby含羞草研究社檚 was forced to register as a third-party advertiser with Elections BC, but the message has since been removed from the receipts.

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Now open just 25 hours a week, Mulgrew said the restrictions are taking a toll on his staff, stating Social has very seldom had turnover, until now.

含羞草研究社淚 feel really bad for my staff. They含羞草研究社檙e in a really hard position. Almost all of them are looking for second jobs now. There hasn含羞草研究社檛 been any action from the province in regards to helping out the hospitality industry.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e already had one staff member leave because they had to find more hours.含羞草研究社�

While Doc含羞草研究社檚 may have more hours to go around for its staff, being open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, servers are leaving their shifts with lighter-than-usual pockets.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 one thing to have your shift cut in half, but it含羞草研究社檚 another thing altogether to work as a server and not have any customers and not have any tips,含羞草研究社� said Willoughby. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 quite a bit worse for them.含羞草研究社�

Mulgrew is an owner who takes pride in his staff and as a token of appreciation, he decided to close shop for a week and take his staff on a trip to Tofino.

含羞草研究社淲ith the curfew right now we含羞草研究社檙e only open 25 hours a week, so it kind of seemed like a good time to jet out of town and explore somewhere else. They含羞草研究社檙e my family I want to make sure they含羞草研究社檙e looked after as best as possible.含羞草研究社�

When asked about remodelling to be open longer, Mulgrew said his establishment含羞草研究社檚 location doesn含羞草研究社檛 have enough foot traffic to warrant being open at lunchtime and Willougby said food sales don含羞草研究社檛 net them enough money to make pushing their hours to 2 a.m. worthwhile.

含羞草研究社淲e could stay open until 2 a.m. selling hotdogs 含羞草研究社� but it doesn含羞草研究社檛 make any sense,含羞草研究社� Willoughby said. 含羞草研究社淗ow many hotdogs do you have to sell to keep the lights on?含羞草研究社�

With few new COVID-19 cases within Interior Health, both Mulgrew and Willoughby said they would like to see action from the province, noting their businesses shouldn含羞草研究社檛 have to suffer because of high case-counts in the Lower Mainland.

含羞草研究社淚 think it makes a lot more sense to regionalize (the restrictions),含羞草研究社� said Mulgrew.

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 understand why the province has to blanket it so much, especially when we have so little cases here. It is heavy-handed and poorly thought out.含羞草研究社�

While both establishments will remain open for now, Willoughby said Kelowna is at a 含羞草研究社渢ipping point,含羞草研究社� at risk of losing some of its most iconic drinkeries.

含羞草研究社淭here are closures already happening (across the province),含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e at a point where we含羞草研究社檙e employing our staff, not because we can afford to, but because we want to give them a job. We含羞草研究社檙e absorbing the losses right now. And you can only do that for so long.

含羞草研究社淚f things taper off any further, we could be forced to close, and it would be an indefinite closure until things improve.含羞草研究社�

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