Falmouth Closing Parts Of Main Street For Resturants Reopening

FALMOUTH, MA — Restaurants in Falmouth opening as part of phase two of the state's coronavirus reopening plan will get some help from the town with providing more seating.

The Select Board voted Monday to close a section of Main Street to allow restaurants to expand their outdoor seating. This will give restaurants the ability to serve more people while complying with social distancing, Select Board member Doug Jones said.

He said some restaurants such as Aeejo Mexican Bistro and Osteria La Civtetta already have extensive outdoor seating but others don't and need the town's help to stay in business.

"The places that we're really trying to help have no outdoor seating," Jones said.

The board did not decide a specific date for expanding the seating, as it's waiting for details state officials are expected to outline prior to the start of phase two. The earliest phase two of the Massachusetts reopening plan can begin is June 8. Details town officials are waiting on include handicap accessibility, parking, sanitation and other logistics.

Included in the unanimously approved closures was from Walker Street to Shore Street and includes areas in front of the Falmouth Public Library. This would create outdoor seating for restaurants in the area like Golden Swan Indian Cuisine and Liam Maguire's Irish Pub.

Board members also said they will explore additional street closures for restaurants outside the closed zone. Options discussed included closing parking areas in front or behind restaurants.

Those options include closing parking spaces in front or parking areas in back of restaurants.

Town officials, including Board chair Megan English Braga and Falmouth Chamber of Commerce President Michael Kasparian acknowledged that several eateries are in the midst of making the decision whether to close permanently due to financial losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Kasparian said he's worried about restaurants on the other side of Main Street that won't benefit from the additional seating.

"I think we have to think about another plan for restaurants on the other side as well and what can be done to expand their outdoor seating," Kasparian said.

Braga said the board has met with several town departments to discuss options for further helping small business owners.