SUNDERLAND — Owners of the Blue Heron Restaurant have decided to return to offering takeout only.
In a notice on the restaurant’s website, co-owners Deborah Snow and Barbara White wrote that “out of the concern for the health and safety of our team and community,” they would be switching back to takeout only beginning Dec. 14.
“With the recent climb in COVID-19 cases in our region and the cold weather effectively eliminating outdoor dining, the risk of anyone contracting the virus from our decision to remain open for indoor dining is too high,” they wrote.
Sunderland had 18 confirmed new cases in the 14 days preceding Dec. 17, according to the most recent data provided by the state Department of Public Health. Franklin County, meanwhile, had a new case count of 351 over the same time period.
The owners of the restaurant on North Main Street, which reopened in May for takeout after eight weeks of closure, “revamped” the patio and front porch when the state allowed outdoor dining starting in June. This included allowing for more than 6 feet between tables, using pre-wrapped cutlery, covering cocktails, and providing QR codes that allow customers to read menus on their phones.
“When indoor dining became an option,” Snow and White wrote, “we once again reworked our floor plan to allow for plenty of spacing, added air filters, installed a Plexiglas divider on our bar, and enforced additional mask-wearing and time limit policies for our guests as we learned more about transmission factors.”
The Blue Heron Restaurant also has been selling groceries since it received town approval in the spring.
“We have pivoted so many times it makes our heads spin,” the owners wrote. “But it has been worth it to keep our business going, our staff employed and our loyal customers well-fed.”
In their notice, Snow and White called on federal, state and local support to provide relief to restaurants and small businesses.
“We have all already lost so much,” they wrote. “110,000 restaurants have closed nationwide since the beginning of this pandemic, which is not to mention the countless other small businesses shuttered since March.”
According to the restaurant’s website, contactless curbside takeout is available Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 8 p.m. and Thursdays and Sundays from 4 to 7 p.m. Contactless groceries are available on Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m.