STATEMENT FROM CT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION ON
GOVERNOR LAMONT’S ROLL BACK TO MODIFIED PHASE II
The following is a statement from CT Restaurant Association Executive Director Scott Dolch regarding today’s announcement by the Lamont administration regarding a state-wide roll back to a modified Phase II.
"Today’s news that Connecticut will roll back to Phase II presents a renewed challenge to Connecticut restaurants, an industry that was hit sooner and hit harder by this pandemic than nearly any other. In recent days Governor Lamont has said the recent uptick in COVID cases is not being driven by restaurants, and we greatly appreciate that acknowledgement. We hope he and his administration will keep this fact in mind during the weeks and months ahead as we continue working with them to help local restaurants make it through this winter and through this pandemic.
One area of immediate focus for that work will be adjusting today’s announcement to allow restaurants to operate later than 9:30PM and providing them the same level of aid that these other states are offering restaurants in need. In making today’s announcement, the Governor noted that other states are using a similar closing time, but failed to mention that those states also have small business grant programs that dwarf what Connecticut is currently offering. Given the nature of our businesses, putting a hard stop on their ability to serve customers after 9:30PM and not offering new options for grants or forgivable loans will be the final straw for many Connecticut small businesses already just barely keeping their doors open.
The Governor and his team have kept an open door to our industry and have rightly continued to make adjustments to the state rules along the way. We appreciate their responsiveness and look forward to working with them on these areas and others in the days ahead."
GOVERNOR LAMONT’S ROLL BACK TO MODIFIED PHASE II
The following is a statement from CT Restaurant Association Executive Director Scott Dolch regarding today’s announcement by the Lamont administration regarding a state-wide roll back to a modified Phase II.
"Today’s news that Connecticut will roll back to Phase II presents a renewed challenge to Connecticut restaurants, an industry that was hit sooner and hit harder by this pandemic than nearly any other. In recent days Governor Lamont has said the recent uptick in COVID cases is not being driven by restaurants, and we greatly appreciate that acknowledgement. We hope he and his administration will keep this fact in mind during the weeks and months ahead as we continue working with them to help local restaurants make it through this winter and through this pandemic.
One area of immediate focus for that work will be adjusting today’s announcement to allow restaurants to operate later than 9:30PM and providing them the same level of aid that these other states are offering restaurants in need. In making today’s announcement, the Governor noted that other states are using a similar closing time, but failed to mention that those states also have small business grant programs that dwarf what Connecticut is currently offering. Given the nature of our businesses, putting a hard stop on their ability to serve customers after 9:30PM and not offering new options for grants or forgivable loans will be the final straw for many Connecticut small businesses already just barely keeping their doors open.
The Governor and his team have kept an open door to our industry and have rightly continued to make adjustments to the state rules along the way. We appreciate their responsiveness and look forward to working with them on these areas and others in the days ahead."
