Bostonians heading to the North Side must dine al fresco by the end of Friday.
After requiring restaurants and eateries to pay $7,500 beginning May 1 to continue outdoor dining, Boston city officials extended the popular program past its original September end date. 5. It ends on Friday, September 9th. 30.
“I’m really heartbroken (the ending),” North End resident Christy Fitzpatrick told WCVB. “We love it. Personally, I think it’s great, when we work from home, we work outdoors. As a North Ender, it’s great to live here, meet new people and experience the experience outdoors already.”
- read more: Governor Baker signs legislation to extend outdoor dining and takeaway cocktails through April 2023
Outdoor dining is expected to continue in other parts of Boston, WCVB reported.
The $7,500 list price drew criticism from local restaurateurs. North End table owner Jen Royle told MassLive in March she felt the money to go to the city could have been spent on her property.
“We pay at least $50,000 a year in meal taxes, and we all pay property taxes. I paid $25,000 in property taxes. That money should go toward sidewalk cleaning and rat control, two of the city’s mentions. example,” she said in March.
The state legislature has extended the outdoor dining program until April 1, 2023, which was due to expire this year. In Worcester, the Worcester Licensing Board voted for a similar extension in March to extend their outdoor dining program. The decision awaits approval from the state, and the commission later said it was “disturbing” and apologised for “our business…living in this predicament.”
Committee Chairman Walter Shea then told MassLive that he wouldn’t vote for Worcester’s al fresco dining bill, as Boston did.