BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) – Native bar and restaurant house owners are disillusioned after metropolis commissioners denied a highway closure extension that enables outside eating on Midland Avenue in Bay Metropolis.
“It was very stunning that they determined to not lengthen us,” Fortunate’s Pub Proprietor Jay Samborn mentioned. “You already know, at the very least by way of the remainder of the summer season. We nonetheless received some summer season left right here to have enjoyable with.”
As a part of Toes on the Avenue, roads all through downtown Bay Metropolis had been closed to visitors this summer season to permit for outside eating.
Midland Avenue’s closure ended on Monday. Samborn hoped to increase the Midland Avenue closure on the west aspect till Oct. 15.
Metropolis Commissioner Jesse Dockett mentioned he would help extending the date however just for weekends.
“We had been anticipating a ton of stuff to occur throughout the day and it simply by no means actually materialized,” 1st Ward Metropolis Commissioner Jesse Dockett mentioned.
Those that work for Fortunate’s Pub argue there isn’t a degree enjoying subject among the many metropolis’s districts.
“The east aspect is allowed to maintain theirs open, open till October and we’re unable to do this,” Fortunate’s Pub Supervisor Elizabeth Schulz mentioned.
“There’s nonetheless different districts which can be persevering with to have the road closures and permitting their prospects to be outdoors places us at somewhat little bit of an obstacle,” Samborn mentioned. “Which causes all companies to endure, not simply the eating places and bars.”
These at Fortunate’s Pub hope commissioners rethink their stance subsequent 12 months.
“We gained a major quantity of foot visitors with the Toes on the Avenue than we did beforehand,” Schultz mentioned. We’ve gotten extra folks wanting to return outdoors, desirous to see extra bands, extra leisure.”
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