The Vic Coffee Shop is opening its expanded patio today onto the sidewalk, in downtown Kamloops.

It was the first business to take up the option to expand its patio, which council voted to let businesses do on May 26.

The Vic owner and city councillor Denis Walsh says the expansion means he can now safely have more than half a dozen tables, instead of two or three, and still maintain social distancing between customers.

“So we’re not really taking over too much parking, in the sense of one spot. Because we’re on a corner, so we’re on a bulb out, and we have constrictions with fire hydrants, and have to stay a metre away from fire hydrants. So our patio railing is kind of going to go a little bit like a maze, in and out, to avoid these issues.”

Walsh says it’s been an easy process with the city as well – which has waived application fees for expanding patios, and will be processing them within a week. The city will also cover the costs of let-down ramps from sidewalks, if needed.

He says the slow uptake in businesses applying may be to do with the cost of putting up fencing, adding that “everyone is hurting” because of the economic impacts of the pandemic.

The city has said that multiple businesses have shown interest in expanding their patios, despite only one have applied so far, which indicates more applications could be forthcoming.

“Fresh air is obviously a safer environment if people are concerned about the virus and everything. So the opportunity to expand the patio I think will help give the business some foundation, and hopefully the customers some faith in coming into the business.”