Denise Geremian is the manager at Killarneys, Atkinsons, Baie Inn and Lakeside Hotel. Although the provincial government gave Quebec bars the all-clear to open on June 26, she said their first day open was Monday, July 13.

“We waited until we were completely ready all over,” Geremian said.

Geremian said that she is not sure what to expect over the next few weeks, but that they have brought all their employees back at each business and are ready to adapt.

“I can’t say too much right now, it hasn’t been long enough yet,” she said. “We don’t know, it depends. We take it one day at a time, they said there’s gonna be a second wave, so you can expect anything really. So far we’re doing all the legal things we’re supposed to do, and we’re just going with the flow and we’ll see what’s gonna happen next.”

One of the biggest adjustments for the bar environment is patrons no longer being able to sit at the bar with their food and drinks.

Geremian said that they can order at the bar, but everyone must be seated at a table to ensure distancing between groups of people.

Angele Fortin is the manager at Donnie’s Pub in Fort Coulonge, and they have been open since being given the green light to do so.

Fortin said that there have been many challenges since opening. She feels that it is tough to do business with the combination of coronavirus-related guidelines and people’s fears of the virus.

“I lost some of our regulars that are really scared to catch the virus so they don’t wanna take no chance of coming, mask or not,” Fortin said.

One of the mandated guidelines is that bars must stop serving alcohol at midnight and have everyone leave by 1 a.m. Fortin was adamant in her belief that this damages the business model.

“Everybody knows that the young generation only comes out past 10, 11 o’clock,” Fortin said. “What’s the use of staying open? This is ridiculous.”

Since reopening, at the busiest time of the afternoon, Fortin said there are roughly seven people in the pub.

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