It looks like at least some local restaurants may be able to breathe a sigh of relief as the weather starts to cool down.
According to an article from NBC Boston, Governor Charlie Baker said while on a visit to Bistro 5 in West Medford yesterday that he plans to sign an executive order which would "extend the timeframe for municipal permitting for expanded outdoor dining." Baker gave his reasoning for the order in the update, explaining that "That expansion will help restaurants like [Bistro 5] continue serving guests in their outdoor space on the same basic terms that have been permitted since June, and we hope this eases the burden on restaurants and extends their season for outdoor dining as well." The allowing of expanded outdoor dining, which was initially set up to help restaurants get through struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was scheduled to end on November 1; as of now, it isn't known exactly how long it will be extended, so stay tuned for any updates as they come in.
In the update, Baker also stated that he will sign another order allowing for the reopening of arcades next week, which had previously been included in Phase 4 of the reopening of the Massachusetts economy.
by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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