Covid-19 upending cafe culture
In a bid to keep customers coming in and to stay afloat in a rapidly evolving pandemic situation, Claris Jones-White has made some changes in her two central Nelson cafes.
‘‘I stood at the doorway, pretended I was a customer. What do people touch, where do people hover?’’ she said.
She then removed all the ‘‘touchable items’’: magazines, sugar bowls, water glasses and cutlery. Freshly baked goods have shifted from the counter to the chiller, and hand sanitiser is available for customers.
Jones-White ordered disposable paper plates and wooden cutlery. Keep cups have been banished, and customers are encouraged to go cashless.
As well as helping to limit the spread of germs, Jones-White said she wanted to create spaces that encouraged customers to keep visiting. ‘‘So far, it hasn’t been too bad, mainly because people are wanting to talk to people: vent, share their concerns.’’
But the crowds would vanish, she said.
‘‘Yesterday, I looked around the room and 60 to 70 per cent of the customers were tourists using wi-fi, to get flights home.
‘‘Those tourists will be gone within a couple of weeks, and noone is coming in. The rest are locals, and businesspeople – if they start working from home, or have to look after their kids, they’ll stop coming in – and that’s the end.’’
Over the last few days, she said, she had noticed that the cafe had served an important function.
‘‘Tables of people are talking to each other. It’s what cafes were originally set up for: a third space, away from work and home.’’
Porta Via manager Luke Kristofski is also taking measures. A sign at the Hardy St eatery asks customers to wash their hands, opt for contactless payment, or even pick up a takeaway item to eat elsewhere. ‘‘No more self-serve water, or salt and pepper shakers.’’
Like other businesses that rely on tourist trade, Kristofski knows Porta Via is in for a bumpy ride. ‘‘We’re the band on the sinking ship,’’ he said, but people could do their bit to help by shopping locally.
Red Art Gallery Cafe owner Suzi Stevens said staff were being extra-vigilant. ‘‘We’ve upped the cleaning.’’ She was planning to offer hand sanitiser for people entering and exiting the cafe.
With the situation evolving quickly, she was ‘‘judging it day by day’’, she said.
The cafe’s busiest day was Saturday, with shoppers stopping in for coffee on their way to the Saturday Market, so the market’s closure would have an impact, she said.
While people were becoming more aware of congregating in public spaces, she had also noticed a community need to come together.
‘‘People are coming together to talk about the whole thing. Yesterday, so many locals were in here discussing the way of the world.’’