Dubai restaurants ignoring virus rules should be shut for months, says hospitality boss

Dubai restaurants ignoring virus rules should be shut for months, says hospitality boss

New restrictions for hotels and restaurants in Dubai should be seen as a warning that toughter action will follow if operators and diners don't take coronavirus rules seriously, accoring to one hospitality boss.

Antonio Gonzales, CEO and founder of Sunset Hospitality Group, which operates 21 venues across six countries, said that venues breaking the rules repeatedly should be shut, potentially for up to three months with a ‘two strikes and you're out' policy to send a strong message to the industry that compliance is not optional.

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On Friday, the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, announced new rules increase the separation distance between tables at Dubai's restaurants and cafes from two metres to three metres, and reduce the number of people allowed to sit at one table from 10 to seven at restaurants and to four at cafes, effective immediately.

The rules also limit attendance of weddings, social events, and private parties to first-degree relatives totaling a maximum of 10 people only, whether at a hotel or at home. This will be effective from Wednesday.

The Sunset boss echoed comments from the likes of Monther