Although municipalities have until September 30 to start withdrawing table space from public places one can see the possibility of extending the measure, since the climate on the part of the government is not negative. The corresponding amendment, which entered into force in May 2020, was provided as a measure to support businesses affected by the coronavirus.

Will lock tables be collected?

Tanya Georgiopolu

“Easy to distribute, difficult to collect.” With this phrase, the head of the relevant department of a large municipality in the region describes the task that municipalities will face at the end of the month, when the extra seats at the tables in public places that were given to the Coronavirus to be torn to pieces will have to be removed so that part of the public space belongs to citizens.

However, the possibility of extending the measure is being considered, given that KEDE It is expected that a decision on this will be made the day after tomorrow, on Friday, at a meeting of the Board of Directors, which will be held as part of the work of TIF. The climate on the part of the government is not negative, according to sources in both the relevant ministries, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Development, stressing, however, that all parameters will be taken into account. In particular, according to his sources Ministry of Development, his leadership is sympathetic to the industry’s request on the basis that, firstly, there is a large influx of tourists and it is assumed that the tourist season will last until December 15, and secondly, the government does not want another violent change in the industry, which hit hard during the previous two years due to the pandemic. Based on the foregoing, it is considered quite likely that an amendment to the draft law will be introduced in the near future, and in any case before September 30, which will provide for an extension of the regulation in question. Sources from his side, as well as Ministry of the Interior indicated that they may consider an extension if requests are made. The corresponding amendment, effective since May 2020, was envisaged as a measure to support businesses affected by the coronavirus, “so that the operation of stores becomes sustainable, as well as to comply with the prescribed distances between banking places.”

Since then, of course, there have been many additions and extensions of seating – but how else, after all, public space is provided free of charge. Municipal authorities admit that in cases where businessmen did not rudely violate public space, they, in turn, turned a blind eye “under the circumstances.”

“Those who had the opportunity to expand, that is, there was free space near their stores, did just that,” colorfully describes the situation Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Zervas. Of the 1,500 licensed businesses in Thessaloniki, 80% took advantage of the privileged position and installed additional tables. The mayor even notes that in cases where, due to lack of space, it was not possible to expand the benches, the municipality, as a support measure, reduced the fee for installing benches per square meter for entrepreneurs.

The preservation of the regulations is required by the owners of restaurants, who raise the question of the survival of their business.

In the municipality of Chania, where the tourist season continues and most of the shops have taken advantage of the favorable situation, Mayor Panagiotis Simandirakis explains that it will be very difficult to enforce table seating restrictions at this time. “We don’t have the tools to enforce it because we don’t have a municipal police force,” stresses the mayor of Chania, adding that he expects the intention to recreate it, announced by the Ministry of the Interior, to be implemented. .

Most of the applications for the expansion of table space submitted by catering establishments in 2022 were not satisfied, Vassilis Koromantsos says to K., Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Police and Public Spaces of the Municipality of Athens. There are about 2,500 catering establishments in Athens (based on official licenses). In 2020, immediately after the first quarantine measures were lifted, 180 expansion permits were issued, in 2021 293 permits were issued, in 2022 126 permits were issued.

As Mr. Koromantos points out, in Athens, in many cases, the expansion of open space occupied by shops is still not possible. For example, in 2022, 4 expansion permits were issued in the Psirri area (versus 8 in 2021), 9 (vs. 11 in 2021) in the Syntagma area and streets around the square (Mitropolis), 7 (vs. 27 in 2021 .) in Kolonaki, 2 (vs. 1 in 2021) in Omonia, 2 (vs. 5 in 2021) in Thissio, 0 (vs. 1 in 2021) in Plaka, 2 (vs. 7 in 2021) in Neo Kosmos and 12 (against 27 in 2021) in Pagrati.

Stores were under great financial pressure in 2021 as they were closed for 7 months, Mr Koromantos explains the municipality’s decision to issue more expansion permits last year. He says he will begin checks the day after the deadline to limit the use of shops in public areas.

“We implement the law by all means available to us. Because in Athens there are 400 municipal police officers who have to perform many other tasks besides checking seats,” he notes.

“A Chance to Continue”

“Don’t take away the open space we have.” OUR owner of the restaurant “Vezene”, located at 5 Vrasida Street, behind the Hilton Hotel, explains that if the seating expansion measure fails to expand, the restaurant in question is unlikely to survive and will definitely have to lay off staff. This particular restaurant, like some of its neighbors, has a very small outdoor terrace area. Taking advantage of the favorable location, which allowed for more seating, he moved a small number of tables to the park opposite and has been doing so for the past two years. But what was once the exception is now the rule. “Now a new order of things has been created. All old people or groups of children don’t want to go in, they are afraid. They immediately say: “a table in the garden.” And all winter many sat on the street. In a coat, in furs, but outside. At the end of December, the incidence increased again, if you remember,” he says. “The store is doing well,” he says with great joy. “We hired staff, we pay them better, if we don’t have space outside, it will be like someone pulling the carpet from under our feet.” Aris Vezenes is ready to follow all the rules established by the state, to comply with the most stringent criteria. “The municipality has carried out countless checks on us in these two years, we have not expanded even a centimeter illegally. We have planted greenery, we care and respect the space. Give us a chance to continue.”

Occupation of public space without exaggeration, in moderation

Giorgos Lialiou

“Plaka is a typical example of the problems that come with doubling the seating at the table. There are streets where the already small sidewalks have disappeared, and the townspeople are forced to move inside the street, between passing vehicles. There are squares that “disappeared” as public places, as they are almost completely occupied. But this exaggeration is unacceptable and must be stopped. There are outdoor tables in all major cities of the world, they give a lot of joy and vivacity, but in moderation, ”says John MichaelVice President of the Hellenic Society for the Environment and Culture.

The situation described by Mr. Michael has been common in many parts of the country over the past year, especially in tourist areas. “The sidewalks in the historic center tend to be narrow and space is scarce,” says Mr. Michael. “Pedestrian streets and squares were not created as an extension of shops. These are public spaces, common, not expendable. Public space cannot be commercialized in this way, to the benefit of stores and their customers and to the detriment of everyone else. By extending the “doubling” of seating at the tables, we are perpetuating the loss of scarce shared space.”

“Public space belongs to everyone. If its use does not change, then it is unthinkable to ban it from taking seats at the table – and not necessarily with a rent, ”says Eleni Haniotu, professor at the NTUA School of Architecture. “What needs to be done is to have a limit. Do not interfere with the normal use of space, do not obstruct the passage of pedestrians. On a pavement five meters wide, I see no reason why there shouldn’t be tables. The problem arises when the minimum width sidewalks are occupied. So the problem is that different uses can coexist: for example, the square should have an area where children play, an area where their parents or the elderly sit, an area where someone can drink coffee. Each of the uses of public space offers something different from the others. We should not be dismissive, seating at the table should not play the role of invaders, but should be one of the many ways to use public space.

“What we have seen in recent years is successive legislative provisions restricting the right to free public space that are not well understood and aimed at obtaining a temporary benefit,” says Mr. Michael. “The question is when we will defend it.”