With the return of the spring weather, Parisians, weary of staying at home, dream of having lunch or a drink with friends for lunch or dinner on the terrace.
Restaurants and bar and café managers, most of which have been closed for months, are also eager to reopen.
“Emmanuel Macron mentioned a possible reopening of the terraces in mid-May. But we still don't have a specific date. How do we manage our teams or place our orders with our suppliers? »Annoys Franck Delvau, president of the Union of trades and industries of the hotel trade (Umih) Paris Ile-de-France. In view of the still very high incidence rate (the number of people tested positive per 100,000 inhabitants), the capital will probably not be the first to be served.
And as if the uncertainties were not enough for these professionals weakened since the start of the pandemic, the City of Paris decided to adopt a new regulation of displays and terraces (RET) in July, with the key to end of the free extension of ephemeral terraces which had flourished in the parking spaces at the exit of the first confinement, in mid-May 2020. The Paris town hall had issued 9,800 authorizations (out of 15,247 requests) which had mobilized some 9,000 parking spaces (out of a total of 146,000).
But with the surge in the Covid debt, the Paris city hall wishes to restore the terrace right which was lifted in March and is seriously considering making ephemeral extensions that were free to pay.
The battle for royalty has already begun
“We have made a big effort since the start of the crisis and the restaurant owners thanked us for this help which saved them. But from July, the terraces and the ephemeral extensions will be paying and the prices will be harmonized ”, affirms Olivia Polski, assistant (PS) in charge of the trade at the town hall of Paris. A decision that the Umih already rejects. “We are asking for the extension of free access to temporary terraces until the end of the year because catering professionals are still too fragile. We have high hopes of winning our case, ”assures the president.
While waiting to find common ground on the subject, consultation with professionals and local residents' groups with a view to drawing up the new regulations for displays and terraces started last week and meetings will continue until may's beginning. “The stakeholders will participate in workshops to reflect on the aesthetics, accessibility, safety, cleanliness and nuisance of displays and terraces. The mayors of the boroughs will also be involved in the reflection, ”explains Anne Hidalgo's assistant.
Because if this device, perpetuated until June 2021, had allowed a restart of the sector, the noise pollution generated had provoked the anger of residents in the lively districts of the capital such as Pigalle (9th).
Some 6,641 checks had been carried out between June and September 2020 and 1,545 reports drawn up by the Departmental Directorate of Public Security (DDSP) until February 2021, for non-compliance with the charter put in place by the City and especially the obligation to close at 10 p.m.
"Overflows will be sanctioned"
“We must help this key sector of the Parisian economy to restart and support them.
But serious excesses will be sanctioned, ”warns Olivia Polski.
The amount of the fines is now much more dissuasive because it can reach up to 500 euros (against 65 or 135 euros depending on the offense committed).
Establishments and terraces are normally required to close at 2 a.m. and ephemeral extensions are only authorized until 10 p.m. under the charter put in place by the City.
However, the schedules of the latter could change in the new regulations.
To read also Ephemeral terraces in Paris: an evening with the City inspectors, who keep an eye on the grain
The City also wants to standardize, at least "better frame", the terraces by prohibiting in particular the use of unsightly pallets pointed out by groups of residents and the hashtag #saccageparis. And to avoid the clusters of cigarette ends around the terraces, standing ashtrays may be made compulsory. For her part, Delphine Bürkli, mayor (DVD) of the IXth, asked the first deputy, Emmanuel Grégoire (PS), to take measures after the fire which had started in an ephemeral terrace transformed into a makeshift camp by homeless, on the night of April 6 to 7, rue Hippolyte-Lebas. The incident destroyed six vehicles and damaged two storefronts.
