Other than a red piece of paper on the front door, you wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 know anything was amiss at Rolly乌鸦传媒檚 Restaurant in Hope.
Though the District of Hope suspended the restaurant乌鸦传媒檚 business licence for six months, the place was packed with diners enjoying breakfast at 9 a.m.
Owner Muriel Young remained defiant, insisting she won乌鸦传媒檛 ask customers for proof of vaccination.
乌鸦传媒淚 told the health people, 乌鸦传媒榃e乌鸦传媒檝e done everything you wanted,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 she said. 乌鸦传媒淲e use hand sanitizer. Cleaning of the bathrooms is ongoing. I hired two kids to work all summer spraying menus, so each menu is sterilized. I put plants on every other table for social distancing, and we went broke because of that, so I opened up a patio. We put up dividers. We乌鸦传媒檙e masking. But now they want me to do something illegal and I have to say no.乌鸦传媒�
Young said she乌鸦传媒檚 facing daily fines of $100 up to $25,000, and if financial pain doesn乌鸦传媒檛 get Rolly乌鸦传媒檚 in line, the possibility of jail time exists.
Part of her fight is based purely on principle, and her belief in medical privacy. But she said there乌鸦传媒檚 a practical reason to stay open as well.
乌鸦传媒淎round 2 o乌鸦传媒檆lock yesterday, I finished doing payroll,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭here were 39 cheques without mine. There are 40 people being supported by this business, and all we乌鸦传媒檙e doing is standing up for our opinion, which we have the right to do.乌鸦传媒�
As Young talked, one man walked by the table and gave her a thumbs up.
She said she乌鸦传媒檚 been hugged by customers and even had people pray for her in the oft-packed entryway.
Young heard there was a rally planned for 11 a.m. Friday morning (Oct. 8) and Rolly乌鸦传媒檚 Restaurant has received a lot of support on social media. But she recognizes that support for the position she乌鸦传媒檚 taken is not universally positive.
乌鸦传媒淭here are those who phone and say, 乌鸦传媒榃hat an a-hole you are,乌鸦传媒� so there乌鸦传媒檚 a negative side to it,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 not saying there isn乌鸦传媒檛.乌鸦传媒�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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