Canucks on TV a big hit at city’s sports bars
Hard-hit by the pandemic lockdown, bar owners as well as fans are happy sports are back
Live hockey games being back on TV seems to be mostly good for business for Metro Vancouver watering holes.
Matteo Caniglia, director of operations for Viaggio Hospitality Group, which owns Red Card sports bar in downtown Vancouver, says they’ve had a big response from customers since hockey came back last week.
“The Canucks games have been fantastic,” he said Wednesday. “Obviously with all these games, some are hit and miss, but overall it’s been good. It’s a bit busier with the Raptors, too.”
Everyone is understanding of the new reality.
“They’ve been good, they’ve been happy,” he said of the customers who have come in. “A lot of people want to watch, a lot of people getting out of the house.”
Like all restaurants, Red Card’s capacity has been reduced to a maximum of 50 per cent, though Caniglia said practical reality has them below half-capacity. They could have more people inside if they installed Plexiglas barriers, but they didn’t think the trade-off in harming their atmosphere would be worth it.
Staff were originally wearing face shields but they’ve switched to masks because they feel safer wearing them. And they’re taking other precautions as well, he said.
Business is still down year over year, he said. And they’re not seeing the usual weekend surge of customers.
Some of that may be the fact that sports leagues, especially European soccer, have gone wall to wall with their schedules in an effort to play catch up.
Whatever it is, Caniglia is just happy they’re seeing regular business, though the recent increase in COVID-19 cases is making him nervous.
At Woody’s Pub on Brunette in Coquitlam, owner Gordon Cartwright was ecstatic talking about what the return of hockey has meant for business, even if they’re still only 50 per cent full.
“When we opened, people said, ‘Thank you for opening,’ they were so excited just to get out,” he said. “Everyone has been receptive to the COVID regulations.
“We’ve been really happy with everything.”
Woody’s loyal customers come in for the 50 TVs and five large screens with laser projectors, he said.
“It’s a different mood, but it’s a happy mood. Everyone stands at the door and waits to be seated and sanitizes their hands,” he said. “It’s been really good. We’ve been busy.”
Back in downtown Vancouver, The Living Room Restaurant and Bar at Hotel Belmont hasn’t seen quite the same resurgence in customers, but general manager Don Falconer said with the Canucks playing an 11:30 a.m. PT matinee on Thursday, they were going to open early nonetheless, hopeful lunchtime crowds would jump at the $5 happy hour, buck-a-shuck oysters and food specials.
“We get some people in for every Canucks game so far,” he said. “We play all the NHL games, we’re playing hockey all day every day. We were expecting as soon as even that first exhibition game, people were starved for sports, but we didn’t see as much as we expected.
“Looking around town, I’m not seeing the car flags, the jerseys; the excitement doesn’t seem to be there yet. I’m wondering if it’s because there’s a play-in series, normally there’s some time to build towards the playoffs.”
When the time comes to celebrate the end of COVID19 — because of a viable vaccine or other treatment — Cartwright said he hopes to see not just the return of a full restaurant, but a particular person dropping a puck at centre ice at Rogers Arena.
“Wouldn’t it be great if Bonnie Henry got to drop the puck?”