Limassol restaurants accepting 'chosen' customers through back door

Against the backdrop of intensifying concerns over the island’s deteriorating epidemiological situation, culminating in the government’s decision to hold off on announcing any further relaxations on Wednesday, some appear to not be fully grasping the severity of the situation and are flouting restrictions in place to curb the spread of the virus.

While Limassol has for weeks been the city marked by heightened epidemiological concerns, information obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus suggests that two restaurants in Limassol’s city center have, in the midst of government bans on the operation of food and drink spots, been operating as normal through reservations for VIP customers selected by the owners.

The ‘chosen ones’ make a reservation and enter the restaurants through the back door to avoid being spotted, while the restaurants ensure that any visible lighting is switched off.

These restaurants host around 50-100 customers on a daily basis, with legitimate questions arising as to why police have allowed such a public health risk to go on for so long.

Well-informed sources said that the restaurants have also hosted parties organized by a well-known Limassol company, which eventually led to the organizer of the corporate parties requiring hospital treatment after contracting the virus.

Responding to a request for comment, police spokesperson Christos Andreou said that over the past few days more than 10 Limassol restaurants have been reported for violating decrees in place by continuing to operate despite the blanket ban on serving seated customers.

Andreou said that police investigates all reports received, rejecting suspicions that police were aware of the operation of the two restaurants and failed to act.

[Reporting by Andri Thrasivoulou]