AMHERST — An emergency order in place since Feb. 8 capping capacity at restaurants and fitness studios and requiring eateries to close by 9:30 p.m. is being lifted as of Friday by the Amherst health director.
The decision places the town back in alignment with the state’s rules on capacity limits and closing times, based on the decision by town Health Director Emma Dragon.
Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday that beginning on Monday, restaurants will no longer have a percent capacity limit and will be permitted to host musical performances, though patrons are still limited to six per table and can be in the restaurant for only 90 minutes.
Amherst, Hadley and Sunderland all put more restrictive measures in place due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the University of Massachusetts that forced the campus to require all students to self-sequester through Feb. 21.
Hadley lifted a similar order earlier this week.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the early closing time likely had the biggest impact on restaurants in the college town, with many university students heading out to dinner or for takeout meals at the later times.
