No dancing, no self-service, no problem, say Vancouver bars of new rules

It's not new rules Vancouver bars are worried about, it's customers who don't follow them.

That's what some in the industry said Thursday, a day after the B.C. government announced new rules aimed at reducing coronavirus transmission in bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

Under the new measures announced by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, all patrons in restaurants, bars and nightclubs will be required to be seated, alcohol self-service will not be available — meaning no ordering from the bar — and dance floors will be closed.

Henry also emphasized that groups at restaurants should be limited to six, and patrons should not be pushing tables together or engaging in behaviour that puts staff at risk.

Tara Fenimore, general manager of the Fountainhead Pub, expressed relief there are now concrete rules to refer difficult bar customers to when they refuse to obey staff.

"We've had several birthday parties come in, groups of 10, come in, have to seat them at different tables," Fenimore said.

"Definitely some confrontations, definitely some customers that want things the way things the way they were. We just can't have that."

Fenimore says most patrons have been good about obeying the rules: "95 per cent," she said.

Jeff Guignard of the B.C. Alliance of Beverage Licensees, an industry group for bars, nightclubs and private liquor stores, said his group supports the new rules but sometimes getting customers to follow them has been a challenge — especially as the drinks begin to flow.

"They seem to forget," Guignard said. "We have to remind them over and over and over again."

Those defiant drinkers can often tie up bar staff, he said, which means some venues are calling in extra staff. That's an unwelcome expense when revenues are down.

Some are restricting entry to known troublemakers or instituting a "three strikes you're out" policy.

"[It] would be really helpful if British Columbians would step up and take care of this themselves," he said.

"If you want these businesses to be open for the long term you have to help them and abide by the rules."

Drinking establishments, he said, have been hit hard by the pandemic — especially larger ones.

In addition to better behaviour from some customers, Guignard said they need better wage subsidies from the federal government and a big chunk of the recovery fund announced by the provincial government.

"I think there's a lot of dead men walking," he said. 

"In the next couple of months you're going to see some of these places you love and go to close ... and it's very sad."