Jab at anti-vaxxers
Restaurateur hails proof of vaccination policy
BEDFORD — Bill Pratt has a pretty blunt message for people who want to dine out, but don’t want to live by society’s rules.
Eat in your car.
Pratt, the owner of the Cheese Curds and Habaneros chains of restaurants, described as “fantastic” the province’s announcement that Nova Scotians will have to show proof of vaccination before going to restaurants, gyms or sporting events, beginning Oct 4.
And he already has a plan in place for dealing with customers who are aggressive toward staffers who ask to see evidence of vaccination against COVID-19.
“We’re not going to put up with it, we’re going to ask them to leave,” Pratt said. “That’s the policy I’m going to set because we want to protect our young people, and my managers will all be briefed. By enforcing it, I think the anti-vaxxers are going to get the bigger picture. ‘Go eat in the drive-thru, enjoy your meal out there.’ That’s the reality.”
Pratt’s restaurants, which also include Studio East in Halifax and Upstreet Barbecue in Dartmouth, won’t be asking customers to wear masks after they’re no longer mandated. He said he wants to provide a comfortable environment for everyone.
“You’re going to have the odd anti-vaxxer that is going to push back, no different than they did when they were forced to wear masks. But if (the restaurants) all do it collectively, no different when people had to wear masks, they’re going to have to (comply), if they want to go anywhere. I don’t know of too many restaurateurs that are advocates against this. We don’t want to get shut down again,” said Pratt, who believes we have to learn to live with COVID-19 because it’s not going away.
“But as a restaurateur I want to make sure that my customers feel safe going out to restaurants, so they start coming back more frequently. Now they know the person beside them has been vaccinated the same as they are, and I’m going to enforce it, I’m going to say in all my facilities that yes, you have to show it when you come in.”
In downtown Halifax, the staff at Events East, responsible for operation of the Scotiabank Centre, are still working through the details of how to deal with the proof of vaccination policy.
“For us, the announcement (Wednesday) changes things for us on a go-forward basis, but we had already announced our own venue protocols around that,” said Erin Esiyok-Prime, director of marketing and communication at Events East. “So, starting Oct. 1, anyone coming to a Scotiabank Centre event will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test up to three days before the event. Of course, that will change once the Oct. 4 date comes into effect and we’re then following the provincial guidelines. We’re still working through exactly how that’s going to work.”
An event called SuperNova will be held at Scotiabank Centre on Oct. 1, where on-site COVID-19 testing is likely to be offered, and Esiyok-Prime said they expect to “learn as we go,” and to learn from other venues.
“We are making some changes to even how we have people come in the building,” she said. “For example, when you buy a ticket for an event at Scotiabank Centre, it’s going to suggest a gate or a door to enter through. Typically, people would all go to one door so we’re trying to spread it out so you’re using multiple entrances depending on where you’re seated in the venue. That does a couple of things: first of all, it reduces congestion, which is inevitable when you have to stop and scan a ticket and check your phone. It also means less congestion once you’re in, which means more physical distancing and a smoother path in and out of the venue.”