Now that Gov. Gina Raimondo has stated restaurants can re-open as early as May 18 for outdoor dining with strict safety and health protocols, Block Island restaurateurs are beginning to think about what the coming summer will look like, and how — or if — they can open up while adhering to the governor’s guidelines by next week.
Most of the restaurant owners or operators The Block Island Times talked to said they would not be able to open for outdoor dining by May 18, but most will continue to offer their takeout menus until mid-June. Because rooming houses and hotel rooms cannot yet be rented on the island due to the town’s emergency ordinance, many of the owners and operators also said they simply did not have enough staff to open effectively by May 18. Another underlying worry for some is whether or not people will travel to the island either by boat or ferry even when things do open up.
Raimondo issued a statement on Monday, May 11, that read, in part: “A week from today — May 18 — restaurants will be able to begin limited outdoor dining in addition to their take-out, delivery and
