Belgian cafes given less than a week’s notice to reopen

Belgium | It must have been a scramble to get everything into place. The National Security Council said on 3 June 2020 that almost all businesses will be allowed to reopen on 8 June, including cafes and bars.

Belgium is among the European countries hardest hit by the covid-19 pandemic, with over 9,500 deaths until the end of May, in the country of 11.5 million people.

Cafes, bars and restaurants may reopen with a distance of 1.5 metre between tables and a maximum of ten people per table. Everyone must order at the table. Waiters need to wear face masks. Opening hours are until 1 am.

As says the Brussels Times website, social distancing is key. Luckily summer is approaching, so hospitality venues can use terraces and gardens to their advantage. 

In some cities like Bruges and Ghent, as well as some Brussels boroughs, local authorities have made plans to close certain streets to traffic, or remove on-street parking spaces to allow bars to extend their terraces. The option is not there for all, however.

Nightclubs remain shut until the end of the summer.