Nightlife biz looks to restriction ease in bid to survive

Government-imposed nighttime curfews and restrictions on public gatherings over the last three months have left nightlife and party cruise proprietors on the brink of collapse. Now, a Monday-to-Thursday curfew ease and other allowances introduced this week are being interpreted as a window of opportunity for some nightspots that intend to reopen as soon as this week.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Mia Mottley revealed that as many as 250 people would be allowed at social events, meetings, receptions, banquets and parties, as long as physical distancing is maintained.

Since then, some promoters have revealed that patrons who consent to temperature checks, face masks and physical distancing would be allowed to party, while others want more clarity from authorities before turning up the music.

On Sunday, popular St. Lawrence Gap nightclub McBrides launched a social media advertisement for a party entitled Outside, which starts at 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Owner Peter Lauer revealed that “it is a lot less of a miracle than it may appear”.

He told Barbados TODAY: “Everybody will have to wear a facemask; temperature will be checked for everybody who comes in; contact information will be taken for contact tracing if necessary. We will space out the areas at the bar and at the dance floor. It is a lot less of a miracle than it may appear and with limited numbers, that will already happen.”

Even if the interest is greater than expected, he stressed that no more than 230 patrons would be allowed inside the two-storey night lounge and those who attend would be expected to party with “common sense”.

On the issue of physical distancing, Lauer explained that there would likely be more distancing in McBrides, than there is in route taxis, which are now allowed to transport citizens at full capacity.

He said: “If you are there with your [significant other], nobody can prevent you from doing what you do at home. So when people are from the same household, that is not a problem. But other than that, we expect persons to maintain a certain level of physical distancing.

“I have full faith in the fact that people have sense and we will have signs to let everybody know what is going on. We will be abiding by the protocols but we also expect patrons to do their part.”

Barbados TODAY has learned that some other nightclubs on the south and west coasts are preparing to open this week, but efforts to reach the owners were unsuccessful.

Russell Wilson, managing director of a popular pleasure boat, The Dreamchaser, indicated that his crew is eager to hit the high seas, but has chosen to remain anchored until explicit clearance is provided.

“We will not move until we have clear directions. I see that some people have started advertising, but we don’t want to go any further until we are 100 per cent sure that we can operate safely,” Wilson told Barbados TODAY.

“The reality is that if you are having nightlife re-open, then social distancing goes through the window. If people start drinking and stuff, social distancing goes through the window,” he said.

Despite the different interpretations in the sector, stakeholders share in the crippling economic impact of contending with operating costs without income due to the three-month shutdown. Limited disposable income among locals and uncertainty about the future of tourism means the next few months will be all about survival.

Russell, who described the pandemic as “crippling” explained that with maintenance costs, berthing fees, electricity, office rent and other expenses mounting, the Dreamchaser’s corporate life was moving close to an end.

“Those things are difficult to maintain without income, so we are at the end of what we are capable of doing,” Russell told Barbados TODAY.

Lauer anticipates that McBrides will reopen at 20 per cent of the revenue that it did prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.

If there are any more regulations or restrictions, I don’t know what will happen,” Lauer explained.

“We need a further ease to make sense of business right now and hopefully in two to three weeks, regulations will be relaxed and more people will be employed. Eventually, perhaps regional tourists will come as well. It will take time while trying to play our part and adapt as much as we can while developing our business at the same time,” he added.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb