How Beaufort plans to help restaurants as COVID-19 rules are relaxed
As some restrictions are lifted on dining during coronavirus, the city of Beaufort is planning to give restaurants more space for business.
Under rules City Council will vote on Tuesday, restaurants adjacent to city property can lease up to 400 square feet of the public space to allow for more customers. That means restaurants along Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park could add additional seating in the park.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster allowed indoor dining to resume Monday, but only up to half of a restaurant’s occupancy.
Other restaurants that abut public spaces could also lease additional space.
The $10 contract would extend to whenever the state of emergency over COVID-19 is lifted. The council will also vote on whether to extend a resolution encouraging social distancing and limiting activity while the governor’s executive orders remain in place.
City officials will consider other proposals for helping businesses during a workshop Tuesday. The “together Beaufort” campaign would relax restrictions on signs and banners downtown, and offer free weekend parking in the Beaufort Downtown Marina lot and concierge service for local businesses, a city release said.
Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling said that while federal and state leaders move to reopen the economy, businesses need to show they are still taking proper precautions to prevent spreading coronavirus. He offered an example of a restaurant employee who recently brought a takeout order to his car window without wearing a mask.
“We have to educate businesses that just because they open doors doesn’t mean people will come in,” Keyserling said. “Businesses in their marketing need to demonstrate how safe they are. It would be a shame to get all of our stores open and people not going to them because they don’t think it’s safe.”
This story was originally published May 11, 2020 at 2:55 PM.
