Ocean City Boardwalk Assoc. Decries Gov. Murphy's Dining Reversal

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy's decision to not allow indoor dining to proceed this week is "potentially devastating" for local restaurants, according to the Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants Association.

Murphy paused his plan Monday to allow indoor dining to resume Thursday at 25 percent capacity. The governor didn't specify when he might allow indoor dining to proceed. Read more: Gov. Murphy Postpones NJ Indoor Dining Reopen Amid Coronavirus

The OCBMA is "extremely disappointed" with Murphy's reversal, the organization said Monday.

"There is a limited window for Boardwalk restaurants and their employees to earn a living each summer, and Governor Murphy just slammed it shut," the organization said.

Murphy's decision to delay indoor dining is the latest decision that has put him at odds with boardwalk merchants. The organization started a petition last month for Murphy to allow boardwalk businesses to reopen with safeguards. Read more: Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants Start Petition To Reopen

Many Ocean City boardwalk businesses say they've financially struggled and cut their workforces during the coronavirus pandemic. Seventy-six percent of local boardwalk merchants said last month in a survey that business is down at least 50 percent.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Since then, Murphy announced he will let amusement parks, water parks and arcades to reopen, marking a step toward the Ocean City boardwalk potentially returning to economic normalcy.

But Murphy says the spikes in other states were largely driven by the reopening of indoor dining and bars. He also cited the scenes at the Jersey Shore and elsewhere, where people have been congregating in close proximity, as a reason to step back. Read more: What Virus? Videos Show Crowded Donovan's Reef, D'Jais

Murphy also said not being able to wear a face covering while dining indoors was also a "game-changer," and the fact that ventilation is not nearly as good inside as it is outside.

Health departments throughout the nation have attested spikes in cases to the openings or bars and restaurants.

The Allegheny County Health Department in Pennsylvania saw "alarming spikes" in cases that they traced to several bars and restaurants, according to CBS Pittsburgh.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered Texas bars to close again and to scale restaurant capacity to 50 percent following a post-reopening surge in the Lone Star State.

Murphy's original decision would have allowed restaurants to operate at 25 percent capacity beginning Thursday. The OCBMA believes the decision isn't right for a destination like the boardwalk.

"The governor is implementing a one-size-fits-all solution to a nuanced and complicated problem," the statement said. "He is imposing the same restrictions on largely open-air Boardwalk restaurants in a dry community as he is on enclosed restaurants and bars."

Read the full statement below:

Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Follow Ocean City Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email josh.bakan@patch.com.