Bars, cafes reopen terraces as Netherlands eases rules

The Netherlands on Wednesday became the latest European country to begin cautiously relaxing its lockdown, even as infection rates and intensive care occupancy remain stubbornly high.

Lisa Gerritsen and Eva Diks became the first guests to be served in six months at Cafe Le Journal in Utrecht on Wednesday.

At the head of a long line of people waiting to be seated, they chose a table in the sun, ordered a bottle of rose wine and were planning to make a day of it.

"We've waited so long. We were here at 11 o'clock. Fantastic," said Gerritsen, a 19-year-old student. "We plan to stay here until 6 p.m."

The Dutch follow Italy, Greece, France and other European nations in moving to reopen society and edge away from economically crippling lockdowns in the coming weeks.

A curfew that sparked rioting when it was introduced nationwide in January has been lifted and shoppers are allowed to visit non-essential stores without making an appointment first, though numbers are limited.

Bars and cafes are allowed to reopen their outdoor terraces for the first time in six months, but some owners aren't happy with the conditions.

They say will make it near impossible to turn a profit.

The terraces are only allowed to open between midday and 6 p.m., with a maximum of two socially distanced people per table, unless they are from the same household.

Alex Celik, owner of the Il Pozzo Italian restaurant on the Old Canal that runs through downtown Utrecht, lamented that he has to close just when Dutch customers want to sit down for an evening meal.

"Midday to 6 p.m. is nothing for the hospitality industry," he said.

He showed a recent photo he snapped during lockdown of some 250 people eating and drinking on the canal-side, but now he is only allowed to accept 50 customers.

His comments echoed the country's hospitality lobby group, which has criticized the opening hours, saying guests will leave terraces and move elsewhere, making it more difficult to ensure they stick to social distancing and hygiene rules.

The country's public health institute reported Tuesday that infections edged higher over the last week to just over 55,000 while hospital admissions declined very slightly.

More than 17,000 people are confirmed to have died of COVID-19 in the Netherlands.