As a measure to support the re-emergence of the capital’s hospitality sector Douglas Borough Council has temporarily relaxed its pavement café guidelines as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

The Council has worked closely with the Department for Enterprise, Department of Home Affairs and Department of Infrastructure to arrive at a temporary set of guidelines permitting food and drink outlets to use extra space outside or close to their premises which still allow for social distancing and ensure that the safety of the visibly impaired and pedestrians in general is not compromised.

Key points of the temporary amendments to the Council’s pavement café policy are:

• To permit pavement cafés that are not visible from the premises on condition that they are suitably managed and maintained in a clean and tidy condition with tables cleared as they become vacant.

• To permit weighted barrier bases around temporary pavement café areas.

• To permit the use of furniture that not specifically designed for pavement cafés as long as it is safe and suitable for temporary use.

• That application fees be waived for premises amending or extending an existing pavement café.

For more details contact Douglas Town Centre Management.

All requests to place pavement cafés on the public highway must be referred to the Department of Infrastructure.