BOSTON (WHDH) - Starting Monday more venues in Massachusetts will be able to reopen as the state enters Phase 3 Step 2 of its reopening plan.
The reopening will allow for indoor performance and recreational centers to open up and raises capacity limits to 50 percent.
Although capacity limits in restaurants will be lifted, tables will still have to be placed six feet apart and a 90-minute time limit will continue to be enforced for customers.
Restaurants will also continue to limit groups to no more than six per table.
“That would be huge for everyone involved. The indoor dining piece is big and getting that started is the right direction,” Ledger Restaurant owner Matt O’Neil said.
The Salem-based establishment has only been able to operate at 40 percent capacity for some time now.
Despite the changes, restaurants will have to continue to limit groups to no more than six per table.
“In a place like this you can have social distancing and still do some numbers because it’s big — still a challenge for other restaurants that might not be designed in a big box,” O’Neil said.
While the relaxed restrictions are sitting well with some restaurant owners, some who are tighter on space say things will still be difficult.
“Still need 6 feet apart. So that’s it. I have 32 seats in here and that’s it,” said Adriana DeStefano who owns Cafe Paradiso in Boston’s North End.
With only so much room to work with, she said she is looking forward to warmer weather.
“It’s fine. We all have to accommodate as many people as possible. The restaurants have really been hit hard. We are trying to make it. We are trying to make as much of it as possible,” she said,
The Baker administration is also making another round of relief grants available to more than 1100 small businesses in the state.
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