Bars, diners resume in country on 19 April

Restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses will be able to open to customers on 19 April across the country after a closure since 9 March against the backdrop of the worsening coronavirus situation.

The government on Friday amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses in this regard, said the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in a press release.

The president approved the amendments to the Act on Friday, which will enter into force on 19 April and remain in force until 30 June.

The resumption of restaurants, however, will be subject to certain restrictions, including opening hours, the movement of customers in the restaurant, and the number of seats.

Restrictions will vary from region to region depending on the local epidemic situation.

The regional restrictions will be amended weekly to correspond to the prevailing epidemiological situation. This will be done by amending the government decree.

The amount of customer seating in restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages will be restricted to half the normal number of seats in South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia, Lapland, North Savo, North Karelia, and North Ostrobothnia.

For other restaurants, 75 per cent of customer seats may be in use.

The restriction on the number of customer seats, however, will not apply to Åland.

Restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages until 22.00 hours and be open between 5.00 and 23.00 hours.

In these regions, restaurants must instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited.

The amount of customer seating in restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages will be restricted to one-third of the normal number of seats in Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme, Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, Kymenlaakso, South Karelia, South Savo, Central Finland, and Ostrobothnia.

They may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 17.00 hours and be open between 5.00 and 18.00 hours.

For other restaurants, the amount of customer seating will be restricted to half the normal number of seats. They may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 17.00 hours and be open between 5.00 and 19.00 hours.

The restaurants located in these regions must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited.