It took some doing, but the bar at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 70 in Iroquois Falls is open again.
President Don Beagan says access is limited, as are bar hours. It’s open from 2:00pm until 8:00pm.
“People come in, sign their contact information. Masks required,” he says, explaining the new process. “They sit down and they can remove their mask and have their drink, but anytime they get up from the table, they have to put their mask back on.”
Smaller tables have been brought in for spacing purposes, and there’s a maximum of 18 patrons.
The Ladies Auxiliary is getting a lot of credit for helping get the bar open again. Beagan says auxiliary members worked alongside branch members to clean the bar area and set it up to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
Admitting to being frazzled, Beagan says those government restrictions make it tough.
“They make the restrictions on the spot without very much notice and we have to react,” he says. “We’re doing the best we can and the public has been supporting us amazingly and we appreciate everything they do.”
Beagan is hopeful that revenue from the bar and the Catch the Ace lottery will be enough to sustain the branch.