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‘We don’t make the rules’: Okanagan pub owner says staff harassed over pandemic precautions

‘If you have six people plus a baby, guess what? That’s seven’ - West Kelowna Kelly O’Bryan’s owner
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West Kelowna’s Kelly/Carlos O’Bryans. (Kelly O’Bryan’s West Kelowna Facebook photo)

Restaurants are open and several precautions are in place to keep patrons and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though not all are taking kindly to the measures, according to one West Kelowna restaurant owner — and some are taking out their frustrations on servers and staff.

“Please be aware of something: We are all stressed,” Brad Shave, owner and operator of West Kelowna’s Kelly O’Bryans, wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. “Further, we don’t make the rules. There is no reason to accuse staff of being ‘unreasonable’ for following the rules that they have no control over.”

Among those policies causing tension is one — ordered by provincial health officials — that no more than six people can occupy a table and patrons must stay at their own table, not intermingling with other groups.

“If you have six people plus a baby, guess what? That’s seven,” said Shave.

In response to similar allegations of belligerent customers at a restaurant in his Langford riding, Premier John Horgan said he was “very disappointed.”

He said the incident overshadowed the kindness shown by most of the province during the pandemic.

“To have idiots come in and be idiots is quite frankly not acceptable,” Horgan said. “It’s not acceptable to abuse people when you’re going out to have a meal … people are just being stupid.”

Shave is pleading with his customers to be understanding of the necessary measures they have to take to remain open but any patrons who still have issues can email him at brad.shave@kellyobryans.com instead of taking it out on his staff.

“We love you all and understand the frustrations we are all feeling, but, as Bonnie Henry says: ‘Just be nice,’” Shave said.

READ MORE: B.C. premier slams abusive customers at Greater Victoria restaurant

READ MORE: B.C. restaurant group warns members to follow COVID rules – or shut down

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com


@michaelrdrguez
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