Tel Aviv-Yafo to open restaurants, cafes, bars & beaches

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality continues to help businesses in the city in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis and is opening restaurants, bars and cafes next few weeks.  The municipality has approached the city’s business owners and offered to expand their usage of public space in order to be able to comply with the social distancing rules, at no additional charge.

The expansion has been approved to 115 bars, restaurants and cafes, including six businesses that will be allowed to place tables and chairs instead of street parking spots that will be clearly marked with purple paint and fencing. The extension will only be implemented after the Israeli Ministry of Health has confirmed that the restaurants, bars and cafes can be opened. Aid to restaurants, bars and cafes has been the focus of municipal efforts in recent weeks.

Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor, Ron Huldai: “We will continue to fight for the 70,000 workers from the restaurants, bars, cafes, and clubs sector in Tel Aviv. These businesses are the beating heart of the urban economy and I have instructed the municipal executives to turn every stone to find ways to put them again on their feet.”

The Municipality has granted exemptions from fees for chairs, tables, night permits and signs; placed 1,000 chairs and umbrellas in central plazas to encourage ‘takeaway’; and announced the conversion of 11 sections of the city into pedestrian streets, which will be closed to vehicular traffic in order to encourage trade and economic activity.

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality has also declared certain beaches open and has prepared them adhering to the Health Ministry’s guidelines under the title ‘Blue Sea-Purple Badge’. All beach facilities have been disinfected and all the beaches have signs and flyers posted clearly stating the updated information and guidelines for beachgoers.

The 10 beaches that have been declared open are North Zuk, Tel Baruch, Metzitzim, Separate (Religious), Gordon, Bograshov, Jerusalem, Aviv, Charles Clore and Givat Aliyah.

While speaking about the beaches, Mayor Huldai said: “I am pleased that the Ministry of Health responded positively to the request of the Israeli coastal authorities to immediately open the beaches, in accordance with their rules and guidelines. After many weeks of closure, and especially in light of the heat wave we are experiencing, the people of Israel need a bit of air. The beaches offer healthy and safe entertainment for the public and for an affordable price.”

“This year only 10 beaches out of the 13 declared beaches will open, while the municipality invests resources in assisting the city’s underprivileged populations, the elderly, artists, business owners and others,” added Huldai.

With the beaches opening, the public has been asked to follow these guidelines:

• Wearing a mask is mandatory for beachgoers

• Keeping 2 meters distance at the beach

• Seating is allowed in groups of up to six, while ensuring a space of 2 meters between groups

• Beachgoers are expected to clean the beach facilities after usage

The municipality plans to create a healthy and safe beach environment by taking the following measures:

• Thoroughly and regularly disinfecting and cleaning the public amenities throughout the beach operating hours

• Making sure that beachgoers are aware of the guidelines by placing leaflets and stickers containing updated information along the beaches

• Weakening the water flow in the external showers to avoid spatter

• The changing rooms will remain closed according to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines

• The municipality will mark sections at the beach in order to ensure that physical distance is kept between groups of beachgoers

Photo Credit: Dana Friedlander for the Israel Ministry of Tourism