Winnipeg’s bar and restaurant patios were busy Sunday despite restrictions put in place due to COVID-19 as the weather warmed to seasonal averages. “Things are going really well — now the long weekend is upon us, the weather’s beautiful, so it’s starting to pick up a little bit more as well,” said Christopher Graves, owner of the King’s Head in the Exchange District.
Restaurant patios, along with retail stores and other non-essential services, were allowed to open May 4 as part of the province’s reopening plan’s first phase.
However, businesses need to enforce physical distancing rules and sanitize frequently. Mid-afternoon Sunday, Graves was in a chipper mood as he sprayed disinfectant on a table after two customers left.