[NYC Indoor Dining]
Weprin: “We must at this point, prioritize both, a sensible economic re-opening and public health… the City must permit limited capacity indoor dining, just as the rest of the State does.”
Photo: YouTube
Assemblymember David Weprin joined many restaurant owners and advocates to rally in front of the Atlantic Diner at South Richmond Hill to call upon the City of New York to permit “limited capacity indoor dining.”
COVID-19 has been devastating to New York City’s hospitality industry, particularly to mom-and-pop owned restaurants. Many restaurants have already closed their doors permanently, and many more are at serious financial risk.
Although the City has permitted outdoor dining, restaurants are still struggling. With the exception of New York City, restaurants throughout the state embraced the Governor’s plan of “limited capacity indoor dining.”
“We must at this point, prioritize both, a sensible economic re-opening and public health”, said Assemblymember David Weprin. “If you simply cross the Queens-Nassau County border, restaurants are permitted to do limited capacity indoor dining, along with outdoor dining. If we want to give restaurants a fighting chance, the City must permit limited capacity indoor dining, just as the rest of the State does”, he continued.
“Our restaurant owners and their employees have suffered great economic harm during the pandemic and it is time for us to extend a lifeline to help them survive,” said Council Member Adrienne Adams. “While outdoor dining has relieved some of the financial strain, safely resuming indoor dining will bring restaurants the revenue that they desperately need to survive. New York City’s restaurants add to the character of this city and allowing them to reopen indoor dining will start to restore our economy”.
The effort to push the City to permit indoor dining is also supported Tom Grech, President & CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. “Queens needs its restaurants back, plain and simple”, said Grech. “We are in jeopardy of losing small business that make up the lifeblood of our borough. We can be safe and productive at the same time. Its past time that our restaurants open back up. I support Assemblyman Weprin’s advocacy and thank him for his leadership,” he continued.
Andrew Rigie, the Executive Director of NYC Hospitality Alliance, said, “COVID-19 has financially devastated restaurants in Queens and across the city, and while the rest of New York state has opened up indoor dining, our small businesses are still closed, even though we have met, sustained and exceeded the health metrics allowing all others to safely reopen. Today, we are thankful and proud to stand with Assemblymember Weprin in support of local restaurants and jobs, and we call for a safe reopening of indoor dining in New York City.”
