Pub owner feels establishments paying price for actions of few others in B.C.

Sep 20, 2020 | 3:15 PM

Bars and restaurants across the province have been lobbying Dr. Bonnie Henry to reconsider the 10:00 p.m. liquor cutoff they say is draining their business.

Al Deacon,owner of the Fox ‘N Hounds Pub in Kamloops, has been among the hundreds of establishments trying to extend service until midnight; from 10:00 to close is some of their best business.

“It would probably represent 25 to 40 per cent of our sales on Friday, Saturday,” noted Deacon.

It’s a similar story at Duffy’s Pub, who also stand to lose more by the 10:00 p.m. liquor rule.

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“We definitely can notice from that 10 o’clock to midnight that we have lost [business],” said manager of Duffy’s Pub Stacy Crellin. “It’s a signficant amount and it’s probably more on the liqour side of things, but it’s definitely noticeable… in the girls’ hours, on their paycheques, their tips, like everything is being affected by it.”

Dr. Henry made the move to restrict hours last week, noting some of the COVID-19 transmission is happening late at night in these establishments.

Owners in Kamloops say they are paying the price for the reckless actions of a few others around the province.

Owner of the Fox ‘N Hounds Pub Al Deacon says a lot of business happens between 10 p.m. and close (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

“It’s unfortunate. Just a few poor operators have made it crippling for the rest of us,” said Deacon. “We’re asking her to throw the book at those who operate poorly and allow us who are playing by the rules to stay open until midnight.”

For now, Dr. Henry is not backing down from the order. But the Fox ‘N Hounds and others will continue to lobby the government. It is heading into their busy season, and they need all the customers they can get to stay afloat.

“We start ramping things up September and it escalates to Christmas. Now without that big impact of customers coming through the door, we’re going to have to cut back more in order to pay down the debt that we created from July and August.”

by Chad Klassen

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