BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Outdoor dining licenses have been expedited for hundreds of Boston restaurants this week, setting them up to immediately serve customers outside as the state enters Phase Two of the economic reopening plan.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said out of around 500 applications submitted to the City's Licensing Board, around 200 had already been approved.
"We created an expedited approval process for temporary expansions onto public space," Mayor Walsh said. "We waived licensing fees for outdoor dining. We reached out directly to restaurants across neighborhoods and cultures. We have an equitable, citywide plan underway."
According to Mayor Walsh, restaurants in the North End will have to wait a little longer to reopen, due to the neighborhood's large volume of eateries and slim streets.
Walsh said applications and approvals for outdoor dining licenses were coming in on a "rolling basis." He said any restaurant or cafe that has already received license approval can begin outdoor service "on your property, or in parking spaces outside your establishment, immediately."
Those outdoor dining spaces can remain open until 10 p.m. on weeknights, and 11 p.m. on weekends.
There are several rules for outdoor dining in Boston. Restaurant tables must be minimum 6 feet away, and tables can't seat more than 6 people. Workers must wear masks, and patrons must wear masks until they are seated at their tables.
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