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At Kelly O'Bryan's there's no denying the owner is not happy. At issue is the province-wide order that liquor sales cease at 8 pm.
Jeff Blower told KelownaNow he fully supports the array of public health orders that have been put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, but for an Irish pub, this one feels l like a low blow.
Green-clad partons arriving at Kelly O'Bryan's today were unimpressed with the latest public health order that will cut short any festivities at pubs tonight.
"My bumpa (grandfather) came from Ireland," said one woman. "He'd be flippin' in his grave."
"We're surviving," said Jeff Blower when asked about the past year at the pub. "But you know what, our locals and the regulars have been supporting us during these trying times. They're challenging times, I'm not going to lie."
St. Patrick's day is usually one of the biggest days of the year for an Irish-themed pub-like Kelly O's, so Blower is upset with the public health order.
"It's unfortunate," said Blower, rejecting the logic that the risk of spread increases after that time. "8 o'clock, 10 o'clock closure, midnight, no matter what, we're still going to be busy in here, but our COVID procedures are so strict. We have a controlled environment."
He said he understands the pressures on public health officials to limit social contact but argues that this one is unnecessary. And as an Irish Pub owner, he feels personally targeted.
"This is the one restriction I don't agree with. It really is the worst restriction," said Blower. "I don't know if Bonnie Henry goes to bed at 8 o'clock and she's worried about it, but I tell you. It's not a good one."
Still, he said, as harsh as this past year has been, Kelly O'Bryan's is not going anywhere.
"It's here to stay," said Blower. "That's for sure."
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