State Suing Asbury Park Over Indoor Dining
As NJ preps for Phase 2. New Jersey is set to enter Phase 2 of its reopening as the state emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, and Governor Phil Murphy announced a lawsuit Friday against one town defying his executive order. The city of Asbury Park made a controversial decision, with the City Council voting to allow limited indoor dining at its restaurants even though only outdoor dining is permitted. “We’ve tried to work with the governing body of Asbury Park to resolve the issue of indoor dining,” Murphy tweeted. “Because they haven’t done so, @NewJerseyOAG will bring a lawsuit today against the city government of Asbury Park. Our rules are based on one principle – ensuring public health.”
Outdoor Weddings in NJ are Allowed
But indoor receptions still banned, Murphy says. Outdoor weddings can be held with a limit of 100-people, but indoor receptions are still off-limits for now, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday. Catering halls will likely be allowed to reopen in a limited capacity for weddings and other functions at the same time restaurants will be allowed to reopen for indoor dining, Murphy said at his daily COVID-19 briefing. But Murphy would not say when he expects that to happen. “My hope is we can give some guidance, even if the [wedding] date is down the road, sooner or later,” he said.
Monmouth County Leaders Promise Businesses
Quick reopening help. Monmouth County leaders vowed to move quickly to grant approvals that businesses may need to open after nearly three months of closures sparked by the coronavirus outbreak. Opening other venues will give people more opportunities to enjoy outdoors while naturally allowing people to honor the recommended 6-foot social distancing guidelines. That decision to open, however, has to come from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. Arnone said business owners are willing to make changes to their operations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and Monmouth County is going to do everything it can to help them implement those changes quickly.
How Coronavirus is Changing Hotels
Bye bye buffets. Hello, plexiglass. If you decide to break away from your coronavirus lockdown to hit the road this summer, expect some changes at your hotel, such as no more valet parking, a sheet of plexiglass between you and the concierge and a capacity limit at the pool. And forget about using the gym. It will be closed. The breakfast buffet? Gone. the Hotel industry has adopted a set of protocols that are changing the look of the country’s hotels and the way they operate. The goal is to make guests feel safe, or relatively safe, from the coronavirus.
Here Are All the Drive-In Concerts Happening
Due to social distancing. As the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the live music industry, enterprising artists and venues around the country are being forced to think outside the box when it comes to playing for an audience. The most recent innovative solution? Drive-in concerts, which have started springing up as an alternative to standing in a packed crowd to see your favorite musician. From an underground show in Los Angeles to Keith Urban becoming the first major star to hop on the trend, Billboard has rounded up a list of drive-in concerts across the country since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.
Don’t Give Up on the Jersey Shore of 2020 Live Music Scene Just Yet
Some venues have already begun to present music in outdoor settings. Venues, restaurants and bars in the state are looking forward to welcoming customers now that Gov. Phil Murphy lifted the state’s stay-at-home order on Tuesday, June 9. As Stage 2 of the state’s reopening plan goes into effect, some venues have already begun to present music in outdoor settings while requesting that patrons observe social distancing rules. While the bigger established indoor and outdoor music venues in the state have canceled or postponed concerts due to the coronavirus outbreak, it appears nontraditional outdoor venues are stepping in to fill the void.
Did You Know?
New NJ Coronavirus Rules: Here’s what can be done inside, outside. Hanging out with friends, but not 6 feet apart. Holding a church service that’s similar (but not quite) to what was done in February. New Jersey has relaxed rules for social contact amid the coronavirus outbreak, and there were some surprising allowances made now that the limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings were raised. New Jersey’s stay-at-home order has been lifted and will allow for much bigger gatherings, paving the way for graduations, protests and indoor and outdoor church services to occur.
Employee Tip
A second stimulus check? Here’s how much you could get. By now, most Americans have received the federal stimulus checks directed by the CARES Act in March to help consumers weather the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Three months later, the downturn has been declared an official recession and the official unemployment rate has soared into double digits, heightening calls for a second round of stimulus checks. There are signs the White House may get behind additional stimulus funding, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that the administration is working on its own plan.
Bielat Santore & Company – Restaurant Industry Daily Alerts
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Thank you and remember all of the “Restaurant Industry Alerts” and “Thursday Restaurant Rap” interviews can be found at www.njrestaurantsforsale.com/news/. We intend to continue to keep you informed as we all look for an end to this crisis.
Get your copy of the Restaurant Reopening Playbook. Bielat Santore & Company has formed a task force comprised of multi-unit restaurant operators to collaborate on ideas, procedures, strategies and goals as they relate to the preparation for and the reopening of restaurants and other hospitality-based businesses in New Jersey. The Mission of this “task force” is to provide a collaboration of knowledge, expertise and innovative thinking from some of the industry’s most reputable restaurant operators, that will yield a strategy for all independent restauranteurs to follow, assisting all in the transition back to “business as normal.” No one person will have all the answers, as there are so many things to consider. Safety is an important concern, but just as important is the entertainment aspect of the business. Many customers are not going to want to be eating out without the social benefits that restaurants and bars provide. Furthermore, many will not be interested in wearing masks or having their temperatures taken. Restaurants are not going to be profitable having to operate with a dining room that is one third empty. We need to work together not merely for survival, but for success!
