Hospitality industry in Groningen partially open from June 1st

From June 1, 2020, restaurants and cafes are allowed to partially reopen under strict conditions, and terraces may also open with significant restrictions if the government does not observe an increase in the number of coronavirus infections before May 20. This also applies to hotel-restaurants for guests without overnight stays. As soon as hospitality businesses reopen, they must adhere to a protocol drawn up through a collaboration between hospitality entrepreneurs, VNO-NCW/MKB Nederland, KHN, the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy, and consultancy firm McKinsey.

First phase of reopening for the hospitality sector as of June 1

From June 1, restaurants, cafés, cinemas, concert halls, and theaters are permitted to receive a maximum of 30 people (including guests and staff) on their premises, subject to conditions. Guests are required to make reservations (including for cafés) and, of course, to observe the 1.5-meter social distancing measures. Upon visiting a hospitality establishment, a screening interview will take place at the entrance to assess potential risks; it is crucial that guests take this pre-check very seriously. Everyone must be seated at a table, and people (guests and staff) must maintain a distance of 1.5 meters from one another. No restrictions apply to hotels other than those currently in place. The same rules apply to the opening of hotel restaurants to the outside public (excluding overnight stays) as to restaurants and cafés.

Guests for restaurants and cafes must make reservations for ‘indoor’ seating. The aim is to keep the area local, avoiding large groups of (day-trip) visitors and limiting mobility from outside the neighborhood. Reservations can be made in advance or via triage (asking questions upon entry and checking capacity). The maximum of 30 people per location is strict, including staff. This maximum prevents excessive mobility in addition to group formation. No exceptions have yet been made for staff in a separate room. Reserving at the door before entry is also considered a reservation, provided triage is applied and the maximum of 30 people inside and the 1.5-meter distance are not compromised. Unfortunately, anything deviating from these guidelines is not yet permitted.

Check-in interview for guests upon arrival

Upon entering a hospitality establishment, guests must wash or disinfect their hands with hand gel, and a screening interview takes place before they are allowed inside.
Second reopening phase for the hospitality industry as of July 1
If the number of coronavirus infections continues to decrease, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, concert halls, and theaters will be allowed to receive a maximum of 100 people in their establishments from July 1, under new conditions. These conditions will be announced at the end of June.

General rules for the hospitality industry from the partial reopening on June 1

Inside
All new agreements must be visible to guests both inside and outside the entire hospitality establishment. A maximum of four people may sit at a table, unless it concerns a shared household consisting of more people. Once guests have left the premises, the tables, chairs, and menus must be thoroughly cleaned. If there are multiple and separate locations on a site or building, strict separation of routes is necessary and no group formation is permitted. Indoors, there is no requirement to sit at a table. This is self-evident for restaurants. For cafés, sitting at the bar or at high tables is not an obstacle, provided reservations, triage, hygiene, and a 1.5-meter distance are maintained.

Outside
Terraces may open under two conditions: Everyone must be seated at a table and there must be a distance of 1.5 meters between individuals. These conditions immediately indicate the limit on the number of people on a terrace. The 1.5-meter rule applies to everyone, including staff. The larger the terrace, the more people are allowed, but not more per square meter. Furthermore, the municipal regulations continue to apply to terraces. These can be adjusted in consultation between the KHN branch and the municipality. Reservations are not required for terraces. However, sitting at a table and maintaining a 1.5-meter distance is mandatory for everyone. People on terraces cannot enter without triage (a screening interview) and maintaining a 1.5-meter distance, provided the limit of 30 people inside is not exceeded (supervision!).