After Getting Five-Star Certification, Some Restaurants Question Loosening Of COVID Restrictions

DENVER (CBS4)- Colorado will see loosened health restrictions starting on Saturday morning, after Gov. Jared Polis unveiled the COVID dial 2.0. It will move counties currently in Level Orange to Level Yellow and some counties that are already in yellow to blue.

For those restaurants now moving to yellow on the dial it means increased capacity up to 50% and just in time for a very big weekend.

"Great for the industry great to get people back out I'm sure a lot of people have cabin fever it's good to see," Blake Street Tavern patron, Carter Praff said.

Sunday being one of the busiest days for sports bars like Blake Street Tavern, owner Chris Fusilier says they put extra time and effort into getting a five star certification and allowed higher capacity ahead of Sunday.

"We are all ready to rock and roll. It took a lot of hours on my staff's part to compile all the information to make sure we are doing the protocols and get an HVAC inspection and put in new filters all kinds of stuff and it all came together," he said.

Polis' change to COVID-19 restrictions announced the same day his and dozens of other Denver restaurants get approved. Fusilier  questions the timing.

"Me and 350 other restaurants worked so hard and the city works so hard to put this program together. It just trumps what we have done and I think devalues the program," Fusilier said.

The governor responded to criticism saying the certification still carries weight, allowing them to remain at higher capacity should tighter restrictions return.

"We hope Colorado businesses embrace COVID safety protocols because they care about their employees and their customers," he said.

Fusilier says the changes will make Blake Street and the other 349 businesses among the safest in Denver. And because of that he will continue to follow five-star protocol.

"Anything helps and if it makes people feel more comfortable coming in here, I'm all for it," he said.

Already his customers recognize the extra effort to keep them safe.

"I mean look how close the next person is to us, he's about 10-15 feet away, they check your temperature coming in and they have sanitizer everywhere, everything is spread out, I feel very safe here," Praff said.