Another step in the right direction for bars

The mandate for bars to be able to serve alcohol until 1am on Sunday is another step in the right direction for tenants eager to get back to their normal business rhythm.

• Read also: New flexibility for bars and events

“We take whatever passes. We are all happy to get an extra hour. It will help customers eat more. It’s an added bonus for us,” says Danny Gubin, co-owner of Date Karaoké Club and District Vidéo Lounge in Montreal.

But as the summer season approaches, Mr. Jobin is hoping for more resilience after recent particularly difficult months.

“The more hours they give us, the more it helps us get through the next coming winter. The bar area in winter is a bit more complicated. We have fewer people and less income,” he explains.

For his part, Matthew Menard, owner of Mineral Bar, estimates that the extra hour will allow us to get 50% of the usual income compared to the 25% they have made so far.

Still, Mr. Maynard wonders why bars don’t always close at three in the morning.

“There is the other side of the coin as well. When we are asked to stop serving alcohol at midnight, do not believe that there are no private parties organized between people,” he notes.

The restrictions put in place, Mr. Maynard adds, are losing significant revenue to the various institutions, putting the survival of the rails at stake.

“I don’t see the difference between midnight and three in the morning as long as the same methods are taken into account. These are the government’s actions,” notes Mathieu Menard.