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Richmond company offers discounts to expand patios

A local business is giving discounts on patio decking after the City of Richmond promised to expedite patio expansion applications to allow restaurants more space given physical distancing requirements.
restaurant patios
Patios at Vancouver restaurants fill up fast during warm weather, but owners face increasing pressure to find enough workers to meet demand. Photo: Rob Kruyt

A local business is giving discounts on patio decking after the City of Richmond promised to expedite patio expansion applications to allow restaurants more space given physical distancing requirements.

Tom Niebuhr, director of Richmond Building Supplies, said his company will offer decking material at cost and waive the delivery fee over the next three months for local, independent restaurants.

As of last week, two patio expansion applications had been approved by the city, three more applications were being dealt with, and more inquiries were coming in.

Phase 2 of the COVID-19 pandemic is allowing restaurants to have patrons dine in, but tables must be six feet apart and a maximum of six people are allowed per table.

Expanded patios – allowed temporarily until Sept. 30 in Richmond – allow more people to dine in at a time.

“As the Richmond economy starts to open up again, we wanted to do all we can to help other local businesses begin their recovery,” Niebuhr said in a press release.

General manager Mike Vincent explained their suppliers of composite decking have also come aboard with discounted prices.

“This will potentially bring an additional five to 15 per cent in savings to those local restaurants looking to reopen with new or larger patios,” Vincent added.

There will also be “mill pricing” on cedar decking and fencing.