Saskatoon restaurants and bars look for ways to keep business up during COVID-19 as patio season wraps up

Keeping business going through the winter Watch: CTV Saskatoon’s Nicole Di Donato spoke to restaurants and bars re-thinking their outdoor spaces.

SASKATOON — As the weather gets colder and patio season comes to an end, local restaurants and bars are looking for ways to keep business going during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Unfortunately there’s a chill in the air now and we feel like Saskatchewan winter is going to come although we’re holding out — we’ve got a few nice days coming up so we’re excited about that,” said Daniel Beavis, owner of O’Shea’s Irish Pub.

Beavis said once it gets cold in the city, less people are willing to sit outside. However, with COVID-19, he said people may be more willing to sit on a patio with a parka and heaters this year.

“We’ve been making the best we can out of it and I’m excited that we can continue to keep a safe space for people to go and gather in a restaurant that’s following all the COVID rules.”

With already limited capacity due to COVID-19, Beavis said O’Shea’s will lose about half of its seating when its patio closes for the season. He said they plan on keeping it open for as long as the weather holds up, but after that, business will be moved downstairs to its pub.

Another local restaurant, Las Palapas Resort Grill, is taking it a step further by installing a heated tent to extend its patio season.

In a Facebook post on Sept. 5, the restaurant said it will be keeping it open for as long as Mother Nature allows and people want to sit outside.

Meanwhile, Carmen Hamm with Taste Restaurant Group, which owns a handful of restaurants in Saskatoon including Cohen’s Beer Republic, Una Pizza + Wine and Picaro Cocktails & Tacos, said they plan on keeping their patios open for as long as possible.

“The patios have been huge. In part that people feel much more comfortable to sit outside which we’re happy to accommodate that but also with our seating so restricted, it’s really helped that we’re able to have more space available as options for guests,” she said.

Hamm said her team is also looking at putting up barriers in the restaurant and offering take out options at all of their locations.

However, even with those efforts, Hamm said she expects to see a drop in business as they do every year when transitioning from summer to winter.

The pandemic and possibility of having to shut down again is also a concern, she said.

“It’s scary for sure and we are constantly kind of toeing the line of will we have to close again? What’s that going to look like if we do see a surplus and a second wave in Saskatchewan, how do we respond to that?”

Beavis also has that fear but said he’ll continue pushing through, encouraging everyone to continue following the province’s health and safety guidelines.

“I think we can get through this and we can keep our industry going,” he said.

“Let’s keep going, let’s stay open because we can have a good time and be safe.”