The Lithuanian capital Vilnius has decided to allocate its public spaces to bars and cafes, to encourage the reopening of restaurants under required physical distancing measures. Turning the outdoor space into one vast open-air café, the city is taking new safety measures to step into the next phase of the lockdown.
As the city allows, this week, the reopening of almost all shops, it has planned to allow gastro businesses to put their tables in public spaces, free of charge, in order to support bar and restaurant owners and guarantee that physical distancing and safety measures are respected. Rules include that tables must be at least 2 meters apart, and masks are mandatory in public spaces. Stepping into the next phase of the lockdown, officials are also restricting the number of customers at one time.
In an attempt to accommodate more clients, and animate the city again, within the safety measurements, eighteen of the city’s public spaces have been opened for use, with more outdoor areas to be added to the list during summer. With more than 160 applications to date, the plan seems to be applauded by business owners. Nevertheless, the new envisioned scheme is facing some challenges, especially in the old town. Narrow streets in the Unesco-listed world heritage site can only take on very few tables.
News Via The Guardian.
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