Colorado’s Pitkin County Banning All Indoor Dining Starting Sunday
There is no doubt that Colorado citizens would love to go back to living life without a face mask but unfortunately, that is the reality that we are dealing with right now until at least February 6th. Fingers crossed we are moving back into that direction again but at least things aren't as bad here as they are in Pitkin County where there will be thousands of people out of work beginning on Sunday because their board of health is now limiting all restaurants to only serve takeout food or outdoor dining. Absolutely no indoor dining will be allowed beginning on Sunday, January 17th.
The Aspen Times were first to report the tough news that will affect many restaurant owners and the nearly 1,500 employees that depend on those jobs in both Aspen and Snowmass Village.
The decision to shut down all indoor dining in the county begins as all of Pitkin County will be moving into a red-level due to the continued spread of COVID-19 in that area.
While the Board of Health feels it's making the right decision to keep the community safe, business owners are left feeling hopeless as bills continue to stack up with only a small fraction of customers dealing with the hassle of takeout or outdoor dining.
Business owners are also worried about losing customers long-term if people do come to visit and don't get the normal world-class experience they come to expect due to restrictions in place. The Board of Health is expected to re-evaluate its decision two weeks after the shutdown begins.