Hoping to help some local businesses recover from the pandemic, Davenport may allow restaurants to set up tables on the sidewalk. Wednesday night the city council will consider sidewalk dining downtown, in the Hilltop Campus neighborhood, and in the Village of East Davenport.
Alderman At-Large Kyle Gripp says if approved this would be possible once the governor of Iowa relaxes her restrictions on restaurants. For example, restaurants may be limited to just 50 per cent of their capacity.
"Allowing people to eat outside increases their capacity, but also for the folks who still aren't comfortable going into a restaurant and eating there, that they would be able to take that food and have a different option."
Gripp says countries in Europe are allowing this as a way to spread people out and reduce the chances that more people will become infected with the coronavirus.
Customers will not only be able to eat outside the restaurant, but can also take their meals to nearby parks and plazas.
