Lighter regional restrictions on food and beverage service businesses
The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Owing to the improved epidemiological situation, the restrictions on opening and licensing hours will be lifted in Kainuu and in the Hospital District of South Savo, and eased in South Ostrobothnia.
The amendment to the decree will enter into force on 17 September 2021.
Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions that are at the community transmission phase of the epidemic — Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, Kymenlaakso, Uusimaa, South Karelia and Ostrobothnia — will be in effect from 17 September.
Food and beverage service businesses may serve alcohol between 7.00 and 23.00 and be open between 5.00 and 00.00.
Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have only half the normal number of customer seats in use in their indoor and outdoor premises. Other food and beverage service businesses are restricted to 75 per cent of their normal number of customer seats in indoor and outdoor premises.
All customers must have their own seats at a table or similar in both indoor and outdoor premises.
Customers are instructed to stay seated in indoor premises. Businesses must draw up and provide their customers with instructions on how to enter or leave the premises or access the area designated for smoking or the toilets and washing facilities and how to collect their takeaway orders of food and drinks. In practice, dancing and karaoke, for example, are not allowed.
Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions that are at the acceleration phase of the epidemic — Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme, North Savo, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia and Satakunta — and in the Hospital District of East Savo will be in effect from 17 September.
Food and beverage service businesses may serve alcohol between 7.00 and 1.00 and be open between 5.00 and 2.00.
Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages are restricted to half of their normal number of customer seats indoors. Other food and beverage service business are restricted to 75 per cent of their normal number of customer seats indoors.
As before, all customers must have their own seat by a table or counter when indoors. The number of customer seats in outdoor terraces is not limited.
The baseline restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will be in force in the regions of Åland, Central Finland, Lapland, North Karelia and Kainuu, and in the Hospital District of South Savo from 17 September.
No separate restrictions on the number of customers or on licensing and opening hours.
The obligation to observe the general hygiene guidelines and to keep a safe distance applies in all regions.
Exceptions to restrictions remain unchanged
The restrictions laid down in the decree do not apply to the activities of staff restaurants or to takeaway sales of food to customers. The restrictions on opening hours do not apply to food and beverage service businesses on vessels and aircraft that operate between Finland and other countries or abroad or to food and beverage service businesses that operate at distribution stations for liquid fuels.
Inquiries:
Ismo Tuominen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, firstname.lastname@stm.fi
The Regional State Administrative Agencies will answer questions concerning the practical implementation of the restrictions.