Local businesses react to new COVID restrictions

Some businesses across Saskatchewan will have to change the way they operate after the provincial government issued new COVID-19 restrictions Friday.

Bars and restaurants will not be able to serve alcohol after 10 p.m., with customers not being allowed to consume any liquor after 11 p.m.

Fitness facilities will have to limit participants to eight people when participating in group activities such as spin classes and aquacise, all while continuing to enforce physical-distancing requirements.

Tim Rogers, the manager of the Lancaster Downtown, says the new restrictions will affect the possibility of lengthening the pub’s hours.

“We were just getting to the point where we thought we would extend our hours, but even as early as a week ago, we knew that it wasn’t going to be a possibility,” Rogers said. “Whatever we need to do to get back to normal as quickly as possible, we will do.

“We’re all in this together. It is what it is.”

Rogers said both Lancaster locations in Regina have been closing at 10 p.m. for quite some time now. He added the new restrictions will have an impact on places with extended hours.

“I think even if there weren’t restrictions, we’d be staying closed at 10 for the time being anyway,” he said. “Nobody seems to be in the mood to be out on a 2 a.m. bender lately.”

A local Regina spin studio will be closing for the time being due to the new restrictions on limiting participants.

Kyle Gibson, owner of the Wheelhouse Cycle Club, says the new restrictions make it impossible for the spin studio to remain open.

“The new restrictions have a very substantial impact on us. We made the decision that we will be closing the doors to our studio at the end of the day on Sunday,” Gibson said. “The new limits include a maximum (of) eight participants in a ride. And for us, it’s just not worth it to stay open.

“Before COVID, we used to have 36 bikes in a room. So eight bikes is like 25 per cent of that. It’s not possible for us to stay open at that capacity.”

The cycling club has more than 40 employees in total for both of its locations, meaning a lot of people will be out of a job for the time being.

“We have four full-time employees (and) we’re hoping to be able to keep all of them employed,” Gibson said. “Then we have about 40 part-time staff; some work one day a week or three or four days a week.

“A lot of them are students, people that have second jobs relying on this for extra income. This will have a pretty big impact on them.”

Gibson added he hopes the club can open in the future if the restrictions change, adding his business plans on offering online classes in the meantime as well as selling bikes.

“Our bikes have been way more spaced out than they’ve ever been. We were barely breaking even with 12 bikes,” Gibson claimed. “There’s not a lot of businesses that can take a 60 per cent cut in revenue and still be OK, especially when a lot of our fixed costs include paying our staff and paying for our building.”

Meanwhile, in an open letter to the residents of the province, 34 business associations, chambers of commerce and economic development groups said they strongly support the government’s new restrictions.

“While we acknowledge some businesses will be significantly affected by today’s announcement, returning to a widespread, large-scale lockdown would be catastrophic to Saskatchewan jobs, Saskatchewan families, and on the immediate survivability of Saskatchewan businesses — even with new and extensive government intervention,” the letter said.

“The health, societal, and economic harm would have lasting, irreversible impacts. We are calling on all Saskatchewan residents to follow the restrictions and guidelines set out by our public health experts. Do your part and be a good neighbour.”