In Gurnee this week, Timothy O’Toole’s, Stevens’ and Kaiser’s Pizza and Pub joined The Shanty in neighboring Wadsworth to announce the move to Facebook.
The coalition promises what it calls a responsible inner experience, with a reduced capacity of 25%, at a social distance, which leads to the level 3 mitigation rules imposed by the state.
In its online statement, the group said in part: “Our teams have sacrificed a lot since March with two complete stops inside.”
He goes on to say that all four restaurants “… have great respect for the safety approach that every business has taken from the beginning.”
Nearby Riverside Cafe owner Paola Smith said she welcomes customers again, with a capacity of up to 25%, starting Friday, encouraged by the decision of other local companies.
The coalition said it had contacted health officials to share its plans.
In a statement, the Illinois Department of Public Health did not specifically address the business decision, but said that “Lake County does not meet the values to return to previous levels.”
The Lake County Health Department said it was “aware” that some restaurants plan to reopen on Friday.
“Our policy has been and will continue to be that, when we are informed about restaurants that violate mitigation restrictions, we will contact them and, if they choose to continue serving indoors, they will be issued a subpoena for violating the Ordinance. on public nuisance in Lake County. by creating or permitting conditions that could harm the health of Lake County residents, “the department said in a statement.
All of these appear like other counties in Illinois prepare to get out of level 3 mitigations.
For now, Chicago is not part of that group, but the city mayor expresses his support for the relaxing restrictions on the city’s restaurants.
“I feel very strongly that we are very close to a point where we should talk about opening bars and restaurants,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Read the full Lake County statement here:
“Lake County Health Department is aware that some restaurants in the county plan to open for indoor dining on January 15, 2021. According to the governor’s executive order, indoor dining is still banned in Lake County. Our policy has been and will continue to be that when we are aware of restaurants that violate mitigation restrictions, we will contact them and, if they choose to continue serving indoors, they will be issued a subpoena for violation of the Public Disorders Ordinance of Lake County by creating or permitting conditions that may be detrimental to the health of Lake County residents. Fines can be assessed for these violations. Other enforcement measures may be taken if there is evidence that COVID-19 has been transmitted or may occur at a restaurant if no immediate action is taken. Taken.”
The Illinois Restaurant Association also issued a statement stating:
“We appreciate the dialogue with Governor Pritzker and his team. Although every step towards reopening helps, today’s announcement does not meet the critical needs and expectations of the restaurant industry. As pointed out, restaurants in all regions of our state will remain closed for indoor dining. until they reach level 1 – adding to rising debt, devastating job losses and business closures. In addition, restaurants located in level 1 regions capable of offering limited meals indoors can only do so with a capacity of less than twenty-five percent or 25 total number of guests per room. No restaurant can even reach that volume, let alone hire its team members. Being one of the most regulated health and safety industries – and with enhanced measures introduced during COVID-19 – Illinois restaurants know how to protect the well-being of their guests and team members. They are able to safely serve more guests than the state will allow today and need more to survive this crisis. For the sake of the nearly 100,000 restaurant workers who lost their jobs between February and November, we urge the state to review this strategy and give more confidence to the industry that has long served as the largest employer in the restaurant industry. the Illinois private sector. The IRA will continue to push for more pragmatic reopening regulations, in addition to greater support and relief for Illinois restaurants and hospitality businesses. “
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