translated from Spanish: How bars and restaurants adapt to the new measures and the arrival of the cold

The new measures announced in the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gave the food sector a breath of fresh air. It is that from this Saturday, the bars and restaurants of the City and the Province of Buenos Aires could continue working until 23 hours, with outdoor tables and attention to the public. The extension of the night shift was celebrated by the gastronomic entrepreneurs, who are excited that the volume of customers and, therefore, the income will increase. “The weekend and the night shift is what works the most. We are talking about shifts that represent three times the consumption”, contextualizes Toto Lafiandra, partner and manager of Enero Costanera (Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado 7180).
Amid the joy at being able to extend working hours, which will help start to lift profits in one of the hardest hit sectors since the beginning of the pandemic, another obstacle looms: the arrival of the cold. On the eve of winter, the low temperatures are what now threaten the movement – mostly – nocturnal of the gastronomic places, at least for those who hesitate to sit down to drink or eat something outdoors when the thermometer marks few digits. However, most of the locals took note and already began to adapt their spaces so that the time to share a coffee, dinner or a drink is more enjoyable, while still complying with the corresponding protocols.” Fayer has heaters and currently investments were made to expand the spaces and that people can enjoy on the sidewalk heated with enclosures and umbrellas, “explains Alejandro Pitashny, one of the owners of Fayer (Avenida Cerviño 4417), the restaurant of Israeli-Argentine cuisine

Fayer has heaters, enclosures and umbrellas. Photo: Fayer

In this line, Harry Salvarrey, partner of Desarmadero Bar (Gorriti 4295), says that in the premises they made “iron structures to have the possibility of hanging heaters on the decks”, always prioritizing ventilation and air circulation. In addition, the bar has heated on the terrace, even before the pandemic. For its part, Enero Costanera has a terraced deck with a blindex enclosure on its sides and retractable electric roof enclosures to protect customers from possible cold currents that can come from the river. One of the companies that anticipated the arrival of the cold was Liliana, which launched a new line of heaters aimed at air conditioning outdoor spaces in bars, restaurants and shops.

Desarmadero Bar has a heated terrace

Hit by the pandemic
The harsher restrictions that were imposed weeks ago, before the openings allowed from this Saturday, only exacerbated the problems for a sector that has been suffering economically for more than a year, despite the fact that the delivery and take away services helped, in part, to alleviate some expenses.” We were immensely affected by the new restrictions, much more than we expected. These measures were very harsh and the government’s aid this year is much less and more difficult to access. We are having serious financial problems that will surely end up in debt,” warns Salvarrey.For his part, Pitashny maintains that the cafeteria was Fayer’s rescue while dinners could not be counted on in the restaurant. “Cafeteria consumption on the outside went up a lot. This meant that we were 20% less than normal,” he concluded.

Original source in Spanish

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