East Greenwich Restaurant Seeks To Make Outdoor Tent Permanent

EAST GREENWICH, RI — An East Greenwich restaurant is seeking permission from the town's zoning committee to make its outdoor dining tent permanent, reported ABC6 News.

The Patio on Main, which was opened by owner Angel Winpenny one month before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, currently uses its outdoor tent for extra dining tables, TVs, live music, and yoga.

If forced to take down the outdoor tent, Winpenny says the restaurant will lose dining space, employees, and some customers who feel more comfortable remaining socially distanced.

According to Winpenny, the town is concerned about the tent because of the heavy traffic on Main Street. Although the space would give the business additional room for parking, she said it isn't worth it to sacrifice the dining space.

The Patio on Main is set to meet with the zoning committee at a virtual meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and can be viewed here.