Restaurant owners relieved by coming move to 2nd step of N.L.'s reopening plan

With Newfoundland and Labrador moving to Step 2 of its reopening plan on Sunday, some restaurant owners are breathing a sign of relief.

In Step 2, there are no capacity restrictions for restaurants or bars, meaning owners can bring back more of their tables and allow more customers inside. However, there still needs to be space for phhysical distancing, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald saidFriday.

Deborah Bourdenowns several business in the Twillingate area, including the Anchor Inn,whileJenny Parsons owns a number inWoody Point, including Aunt Jane's Place BnB and the Merchant Warehouse. Both told CBC Radio's On The Go on Friday they're ready for rules to be relaxed.

"You'rewatching everything you do so carefully, wanting to always be complying with all the mandatory rules that are in place for safety," Bourden said.

"Just not having to think about it so much already feels better right away."

Bourden said her restaurant's capacity is 70, which is reduced to 35 under current regulations. She said with the lift on capacity restrictions, she will still be able to bring back only about six seats because of the physical distancing requirement.

"For smaller- to medium-sized venues, it won't help us out a lot. So we're looking forward to when those capacity restrictions and the physical distancing work more hand in hand to allow us more people in our restaurants and in our pubs," Bourden said.

Changes to mask requirements also possible

On Friday, the province's chief medical officer of health also said the requirement for mandatory masks in public spaces could be lifted by the week of Aug. 9, which marks two weeks after 50 per cent of the eligible population had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Fitzgerald said removing the mandate would be contingent on continued favourable epidemiology in Newfoundland and Labrador,andmaskswill continue to be strongly recommended by public health, particularly insituations that are a higher risk for the spread of COVID-19.

Parsons calls the mask news exciting, but is leaving it up to her staff decide whether they ditch their masks.

She said it has been difficult to wait tables while wearing a non-medical mask.

"It will be like a little taste of freedom just not to have to wear that," Parsons said.

"The other part of it is when we have people enter our building, right now, I always feel like I'm the mask police.It'll take the stress away and give us a little sense of freedom and be able to actually smile at people."

Read morefrom CBC Newfoundland and Labrador