SWFL restaurants, bars feel the effects of new coronavirus orders

Reporter: Nicole Gabe Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News.

Restaurants all over Southwest Florida are coming to grips with the new order by Gov. Ron DeSantis to limit their guests to 50% capacity with staggered seating to fulfill social distancing guidelines.

We visited Cape Coral and spoke to those at local restaurant about the impact this has on them amid the effort to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our region and statewide.

“We decided to strip down the tables, so, inside, it’s every other table so you’re 6 feet apart,” said Vollen Louks at Duval Street restaurant. “Outside, it’s every other table, so you’re 6 feet apart.”

Restaurants have taken extra steps to wipe down and sanitize everything. But that wasn’t enough for the state, which ordered bars and nightclubs to suspend business hours for at least a month.

“We’re fairly new so everything the first year is really fragile,” said Naomi Biber at Palace Pub. “We’ll be fine, but it’s just hard to hear that and have to have to deal with this.”

Watch the video above for the full story by WINK News Reporter Brooke Shafer.

Watch the video above for the full story by WINK News Reporter Nicole Gabe.

Fort Myers small businesses feel effects of social distancing

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