Restrictions on the restaurant business continue, although from now on they will not be homogeneous for the whole country.
The Government decided on 29 October to impose temporary restrictions on the activities of food and beverage service businesses as of 1 November 2020.
The decree includes important differences depending on the region in which the businesses are located, but also depending on the type of business.
The worst part is borne by the bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, which are subject to much stricter time and capacity restrictions than others.
The decree regulates the amount of customer seating and opening hours and the time when alcohol can be served. It was adopted under the new temporary provisions of the Communicable Diseases Act and will remain in force until 15 December 2020.
Differences by region
In the regions of Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Ostrobothnia, which are currently in the acceleration or community transmission phase of the epidemic, the amount of customer seating in businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages is now restricted to half the normal amount. These businesses typically include pubs, bars and nightclubs.
For other food and beverage service businesses in the above-mentioned regions, the amount of customer seating is restricted to three quarters of the normal amount. These businesses typically include restaurants, cafes, fast food restaurants and pizzerias. In other parts of Finland, the number of customer seats is not restricted.
The current requirements for food and beverage service businesses concerning guidance, hygiene practices and safe distances in customer seating will remain unchanged. Similarly, food and beverage service businesses are still subject to the existing obligations concerning the planning of their activities.
Restrictions on alcohol
In the regions of Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Ostrobothnia, which are currently in the acceleration or community transmission phase of the epidemic, businesses must stop serving alcoholic beverages by 22.00 at the latest.
All food and beverage service businesses in Ostrobothnia must be closed by 23.00 at the latest. In the other regions listed above, businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages must also be closed at 23.00, but other food and beverage service businesses may remain open until 24.00.
Businesses in other parts of Finland must stop serving alcohol by 24.00 at the latest, as is currently the case. In locations outside the regions of Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Ostrobothnia, businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverage must close by 1.00 at the latest, but other food and beverage service businesses may be open round the clock.
Possibility to reopen
Otherwise, the decree adds flexibility to the restrictions on the opening hours of food and beverage service businesses so that businesses subject to the restrictions may reopen one hour after closing. This means that in line with the decree, a business that has stopped serving alcoholic beverages at 24.00 and must close at 1.00 may reopen as a night cafe starting at 2.00, for example.
The restrictions on opening hours do not apply to food and beverage service businesses on vessels and aircraft that operate between Finland and other countries or abroad or to food and beverage service businesses that operate at distribution stations for liquid fuels.
Government says that the above-mentioned restrictions will be lifted altogether by amending the decree when the authorities consider that the epidemiological situation in a region has improved.
