Hurting Hillsborough Bar Takes Another Blow With New Restrictions

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough's Petrock's Bar & Grille has been trying to adapt to all of the changes during the coronavirus pandemic in an effort to survive. Now, Gov. Phil Murphy's latest restrictions is another obstacle for the local establishment.

Murphy announced Monday that bars and restaurants must close all indoor service by 10 p.m. and there will be no more barside seating as of Thursday. Outdoor dining, takeout and delivery services may continue beyond 10 p.m., and enclosed, heated outdoor tents can be put up outside. Read More: Gov. Murphy: NJ COVID-19 Numbers Going In 'Wrong Direction'

"It is upsetting with what [Murphy] doing," Bonnie Petrock, owner of Petrock's Bar & Grille at 419 Amwell Rd. said. "This will affect us again."

Since the pandemic hit, Petrock has been trying to adapt to the ever-changing restrictions.

"In the beginning, we were closed for 3 months and then opened when we found out we were allowed to have outdoor dining we reopened. ... The first couple of weeks was rough then got better," Petrock said.

However, she said it was dependent on the weather.

"When we had nice days it was good since we have more seating outside than inside," Petrock said.

When indoor dining re-opened with only 25 percent capacity it "took off the pressure," Petrock said.

"Now with him closing the inside at 10 p.m., it's going to hurt us again," Petrock said.

Petrock said she will have to begin cutting back the menu to keep fewer items in stock, cut staff and is worried about other expenses.

Possible expenses such as installing plexiglass dividers, a cleaning person to constantly clean tables and plexiglass dividers between customers, and maybe even heaters. Although, Petrock worries that even with heaters if it snows the outdoor area won't be usable. And if there are heaters, there is the added expense of propane tanks to fuel them.

Many restaurants and bars in the Hillsborough-area are fearful they may not survive this winter with yet another new restriction.

"I am not happy. We've been holding up OK, but now we can't have anyone seated at the bar," said Meg Brown, bar manager at Thirsty's Restaurant and Tavern off Route 202 in Branchburg.

Brown has worked as a bartender at Thirsty's for 44 years and says she has "never, ever in my entire time here had to deal with such baloney."

"It's not good," Brown said. "When we first had to shut down on March 16 we were able to do take out only then outdoor dining. But the weather is going to be too cold. We had tents but this latest storm had blown down all the tents. ... It's not good. Hopefully we will get through this but we just don't know. It's a shame it really is."

Natalie Pineiro with the Downtown Somerville Alliance echoed Brown's sentiments.

"I think a lot of our businesses are currently struggling especially restaurants to figure out how they will make it through the next 4 or 5 months until they start rolling out a vaccine," Pineiro said. "The state is consistently pushing restrictions on businesses but hasn't rolled out relief for them in terms of easing up restrictions to allow businesses to continue outdoor dining."

In June, Somerville asked the NJ Department of Transportation for permission to close the state highway to allow more space for outdoor dining. That was rejected. Read More: Somerville Looks To Close Route 28 For Outdoor Dining

Pineiro said the alliance had even invested $30,000 to create extended space for outdoor dining in parking spaces but were told to remove them by the state in case of snow.

"We had set up wooden platforms and enclosures to separate diners from traffic. We had barricades as well, we spent a lot of money constructing those. And then we had to hire someone within 24 hours to remove them," Pineiro said. "It is not just devastating for businesses that had that extra seating but it was an additional expense to remove them."

The Alliance recently launched the DSA Small Business Rebound Fund for those who have suffered economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Applications for the program can be found at DowntownSomerville.com.

Additionally, Pineiro is questioning how the state's new restrictions will help contain the virus.

"I think there is no one that is happy about these new restrictions. We understand that there is a need to control the spread of COVID but I think there is a little bit of confusion about how closing a bar at 10 p.m. and preventing people from sitting at a bar will really resolve that issue," Pineiro said.

Salted Lime in Somerville took to Facebook to share their concerns over the new restrictions.

"We agree the health and safety of our guests and staff are paramount but the fashion in which NJ Restaurants are being singled out and forced to carry the weight of the pandemic prevention is idiotic. We're simply asking for better solutions to this problem other than us being the sacrificial lambs," according to a post by Salted Lime Restaurant.

Murphy announced Tuesday that New Jersey hit its highest daily case total since April – 3,877 – and the state's highest death toll since July: 21. Read more: Gov. Murphy Vetoes Coronavirus Bill, Signs 7 Others Into NJ Law

As of Wednesday, Hillsborough is reporting 18 new positive coronavirus cases since Tuesday. There have been a total of 831 positive cases and 81 deaths in Hillsborough since the pandemic began in March.

Countywide, there have been 7,140 cases of the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. There have also been 525 confirmed deaths and 75 probable deaths.

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