Peninsula Brewery Flouts County Health Orders: Report

PACIFICA, CA — A Peninsula brewery has opened its restaurant patio to customers in defiance of an order issued by San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow, NBC Bay Area reports.

Pacifica Brewery on Wednesday started letting customers ordering take-out eat and drink at tables on its outdoor patio.

Restaurant customers in the broadcast are seen sitting in small groups at tables that appear to be spread more than six feet apart.

Pacifica Brewery owner Helen Nasser-Elddin told NBC Bay Area that the 21,000-square-foot brewery allows customers to follow social distancing guidelines, even if her business is defying the county’s orders.

“We’ve followed all the guidelines and we still have no word from the county when we’re going to be allowed to reopen and so we’re really struggling,” she told the network.

“I have tanks of beer that we’re sitting on that is going to spoil.”

Customers interviewed by the network said they enjoyed dining out for the first time in months.

“Personally, I’m not scared or afraid of anything because it is social distanced out here, everyone’s six feet apart,” customer Gwen Theriault told the network.

“All the service people, they’re wearing gloves and masks.”

A male customer who wasn’t identified in the broadcast said: “it’s just nice to be outside and enjoy something normal.”

San Mateo County has allowed restaurants to only serve take-out orders since shelter-in-place orders went into effect on March 17.

The measure has saved countless lives according to medical experts but has devastated the local economy in the Bay Area and beyond.

Nasser-Elddin, whose brewpub opened its doors in November according to the report, is among those who is feeling the hurt.

“It’s so scary, our livelihood is at stake,” she told NBC Bay Area.

“We put everything in here and we just want to be able to follow the guidelines and reopen our outdoor space.”

But her business could be cited for violating the county’s health order.

San Mateo County hasn’t met the state’s criteria to expand Phase 2 of its reopening to allow outdoor dining.

The state is allowing county’s experiencing an infection rate average of 25 cases or fewer per 100,000 residents over a two-week period to move to expand Phase 2 of the reopening. San Mateo County is still averaging 55 cases per 100,000 according to the report.

“We’re very safe,” Nasser-Elddin said. “They have ordered their food to go and we’ll let them sit out back, socially distancing.”

Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know