National Post (National Edition)
LINEUPS FOR SPARE RIBS AFTER TORONTO EATERY DEFIES LOCKDOWN
`Enough is enough,' says restaurant owner throwing open his doors
Declaring “Enough is enough,” Adam Skelly opened his barbecue restaurant Tuesday, defying the law and the Ontario government but gaining a lot of customers. “This is a risky move,” said Skelly in an Instagram post on Monday night.
Customers responded to his COVID lockdown protest by lining up outside his restaurant, Adamson Barbecue, in Etobicoke, Toronto, on Tuesday. Police responded by visiting the premises and later closing them down.
In recent days, the Ontario government has banned indoor dining in Toronto — as well as other activities — in a bid to stop the rising number of COVID cases in the city.
But a clearly frustrated Skelly took to social media to insist his restaurant would open on Tuesday.
“Enough is enough. I complied with the two weeks to flatten the curve. I complied again during the `second wave' when we locked down,” said Skelly, who went on to complain about flawed testing and how multinational corporations were labelled as essential businesses.
“This thing stinks, it reeks of corruption,” he said. “We are open for anyone who is a fan of freedom, and sovereignty, and the right to choose what you wear, where to go, who to have over at your house, what businesses you can go to.”
After opening for business, police and bylaw officers visited the premises but initially declined to act because of the large number of diners.
“By the sheer number of people that are here right now, we don't have the ability to go and physically remove everyone at this point and it would be unsafe to do so,” Insp. Tim Crone of Toronto Police Service said from the scene, CityNews reported.
When asked what he would say to people who might be “confused” that there were patrons dining indoors at the premises, Crone said, “We understand the level of frustration (about another lockdown), however, the overriding consideration always has to be public safety.”
Premier Doug Ford said he was aware of the issue, which had split opinion on social media.
“They have to follow the rules,” Ford said of Adamson Barbecue. “There can't be rules for one group and not the other … If we let everyone open we're going to be in worse shape.”
Still, Ford said he felt sorry for businesses facing the nightmare of closing their doors yet again.
“I can't get angry at any business person right now, they're hurting,” he said.
Later police and health officials returned a second time and shut it down. A sign on the restaurant proclaimed, “This establishment is closed … by order of the Medical Officer of Health.”
It wasn't clear if tickets were handed out for the flagrant breach of the new rules, which affect Toronto and the Peel region.
Under provincial legislation, individual lockdown breachers face $750 fines. Business owners can face much stiffer penalties.
Toronto and Peel are set to remain in the current lockdown for at least 28 days.
All non-essential retailers are reduced to curbside pickup only, and restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery orders. Personal services such as hair salons are also closed, but schools and child-care centres remain open.
Some noted the measures would disproportionately affect small businesses, while larger corporations would likely thrive.
“The structure of the lockdowns in Toronto and Peel will likely have the largest impact on small business who are now forced to shut down, driving shoppers to big-box stores,” BMO analyst Benjamin Reitzes wrote in a morning note on Tuesday.