Under the loosened state COVID-19 restrictions: restaurants, gyms, theatres, malls, and casinos can increase capacity to 75%. Author: Amanda Eustice (WNEP) Updated: 6:08 PM EDT April 4, 2021
STROUDSBURG, Pa. The stools are up, and drinks are once again flowing at the bar at Sarah Street Grill in Stroudsburg.
It s something Manager Christy Connolly says the restaurant has been patiently waiting to do. It s exciting that we re moving forward, and more people are coming out, and people are getting vaccinated. They ve already had it. They re just sick of sitting inside, so it s exciting that we re getting back to normal, said Connolly.
Under the loosened state COVID-19 restrictions:
Staying open for indoor dining in the Poconos
Some restaurants across the state are choosing to stay open for indoor dining, despite Governor Tom Wolf s order to only allow takeout and delivery. Author: Carmella Mataloni Updated: 5:59 PM EST December 14, 2020
MONROE COUNTY, Pa. It s business as usual inside Hickory Valley Farm Restaurant near Tannersville, only at half capacity.
Owner Robert Grimaldi decided to keep indoor dining an option for his customers. We are still doing 50 percent. We are doing anything the customers want. If they want to sit in their car and have me bring it to them, I will. I don t want anyone who is uncomfortable; please stay home, call it in, and I ll bring it out to you. We will do anything to make our customers comfortable. We have our sanitation in place. We are professionals. We have been doing sanitation long before this happened, said Grimaldi.
It’s going to be a blue Christmas in the Poconos for those in the hospitality industry.
When Gov. Tom Wolf’s newest mitigation orders were announced Thursday night, restaurant owners, operators and staff across the commonwealth cringed as they heard the latest impact on their industry: indoor dining was going to be shut down as of 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 12, and would not return until Jan. 4.
Wolf defended the measures which also included further limitations on gatherings both indoors and outdoors, capacity limits for businesses, closures for in-person businesses in the entertainment industry and gym and fitness facilities, and restrictions on sports as a means to keep the COVID-19 pandemic under control during a particularly troublesome time.