Chef James Avery was all ready to go rogue and offer indoor dining Monday at his Asbury Park eatery, the Bonney Read, after the city council voted this week to defy Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order restricting restaurants to outdoor seating only.
“We’ve flattened the curve. We’ve done that. We’ve done the work. I was excited to hear that the town was supporting getting some people back inside of businesses,” Avery said.
The city’s new ordinance had followed Murphy’s general reopening rules for non-essential businesses — only 50 people, or 25% capacity, allowed inside — complete with personal protective equipment and social distancing. The council just added restaurants to the list of businesses allowed to offer indoor service on Monday.
“And even at 25% capacity, it’s not a lot. When you’re socially distancing these tables it doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for earning a living,” said Councilwoman Eileen Chapman. “I think we need to show support to our community.”
Chapman said Asbury has 80 restaurants and one’s already gone belly-up during the lockdown. Their summer season’s ticking away. But the city’s rebellious tactics Friday drew a sharp rebuke from Murphy — with a side order of legal action.
“We have one set of rules and they are based on one principle and that is ensuring public health. The attorney general will be bringing a lawsuit as we speak against Asbury Park to enforce our orders,” the governor said during his daily press briefing.
That, and the possibility of losing his liquor license, made Avery decide to shelve plans for indoor dining.
“I can’t afford a huge fine, so we’re really in a rock and a hard place. But again, I go back to, how does a man fine us if he’s not following his own executive order?” Avery said.
Some critics claim Murphy broke his own executive order when he marched in Black Lives Matter protests. But several restaurants just don’t want to pick a food fight with the governor.
Restauranteur Tim McLoone will follow Murphy’s rules and offer outdoor service only on Monday.
“I think that the metrics that are being measured are beyond me. I’m a musician and restaurant owner and I’m not a scientist, so I have put in my oar with the governor,” he said.
So will Porta and its sister establishments, where workers prepped patio sets Friday.
“We’re setting up. We’re getting ready for that. We’re getting staffed, but we just feel we can’t take any more risks with possibly being shut down by the state, our licenses, calling people back to work and then having to let them go because we don’t have the schedule,” said Dallas Hlatky, Smith Group COO.
Restaurant owners insist they appreciate the city’s good intentions. Asbury officials say they will still try to hash it out amicably with the governor.
