Outdoor dining allowed when Grafton restaurants re-open
Coming soon to nine Grafton restaurants: the ability to serve food and alcohol outside.
While the state now only allows take-out service for restaurants due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the eateries are looking ahead to the time when they are allowed to reopen. That likely means a reduction in tables inside — and the addition of al fresco dining.
The Select Board Tuesday approved outdoor dining for the nine Grafton restaurants with liquor licenses, provided they meet Police Chief Normand Crepeau’s requirements.
“Obviously, they want to get back to business, and we want to make sure they do that safely,” Crepeau said.
The requirements:
- The tent, patio or outside area is sufficiently contained so that there is only one entrance/exit (subject to building and fire code) so patrons cannot leave the premises with alcoholic beverages (unless wine or malt beverages in original sealed containers sold with food as per ABCC regulations).
- Containment may include, tent walls, temporary/permanent fencing, barricades, potted shrubbery or some other form of barrier to separate and delineate the outdoor dining area from the street or parking lot.
- Management shall provide constant monitoring of the outside dining area to ensure patrons do not leave the premises with alcoholic beverages except as specified above.
Any modifications to the restaurant’s space will require Select Board approval.
Steven Belfiore of the Grafton Grill said he plans to get a 30×30 tent for the right side of the parking lot.
“We’re not going to gain anything,” he said. “We’re just going to be able to make up for the loss inside.”
Crepeau said tents would be allowed as long as there was only one entrance/exit to prevent customers from leaving with alcohol.
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Seems like a tent with only one entrance/exit negates the whole benefit of eating outside so that fresh air can circulate.