Yesterday, Governor Phil Murphy lifted curfew limits on bars, restaurants and gyms, and he raised capacity limits on those and other businesses by 10%. The following is the news release sent by NFIB in New Jersey offering our comments on the Governor’s announcement. It was picked up by the media.

NFIB Appreciates the Lifting of Curfew on Restaurants, Bars and Gyms
But to survive, these small businesses will need many more customers allowed inside

TRENTON (Feb. 3, 2021) – Today, Governor Phil Murphy lifted the evening curfew on restaurants, bars, and gyms that had been ordered to close at 10 p.m. by allowing them to remain open until their normal closing time, starting February 5. The Governor is also increasing capacity limits from 25% to 35% for all those small businesses, and the personal care industry. The following comments reacting to the Governor’s announcement are attributable to Eileen Kean, State Director of NFIB in New Jersey.

“It is very good to hear that restaurants and bars will be able to allow people to stay till normal closing times this weekend, especially when it means on Super Bowl Sunday patrons won’t have to leave half-way through the game and watch the rest at home. It has been a long time difficult road for all these hard-hit small businesses and this is a bit of good news for a change.

“An increase of just 10% in customer capacity at a salon or barbershop may mean the owner can use one more chair. In a restaurant, maybe they can seat people at one or two more tables. But, these small business owners still can’t be profitable enough to get past the current economic hardship, so we encourage the Governor to increase that limit as soon as possible.”

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