Increase mall visit time from 8 to 10 pm, business owners demand

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KUWAIT CITY, May 23: Business owners are hoping for a quick response to their demands, such as extending the operation hours of malls until 10:00 pm instead of 8:00 pm; indicating this will have a positive impact on restaurants and cafés as people usually go to these place after shopping and once the commercial shops are closed, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources. Sources said the business owners pointed out that the approval of regulations, including maintaining a distance of two meters between tables, is enough to achieve the goal of the Ministry of Health to curb the spread of corona and protect public health.

Sources disclosed the business owners are appealing to the concerned authorities to pay attention to their demand, especially since the owners of restaurants and cafés have been incurring losses since the pandemic started. They argued that once travel is allowed, the airplanes will not be obligated to maintain a distance of two meters between passengers, even for some flights which last for more than two hours. They said dining in a restaurant or café takes less than two hours while the two-meter distance rule is strictly followed.

This is in addition to the demand to allow hookahs (shisha) in open spaces, sources stated. Sources went on to say that the Supreme Ministerial Committee for Corona Emergencies, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali, continues to consider the recommendations of ministries to take more precautionary measures and the opening of commercial establishments for the country to move to the fifth stage of its gradual return to normal life plan in September at the latest. Sources pointed out the owners of commercial establishments should be reassured that the committee is looking into all the proposals. They explained it is not logical to allow restaurants outside the commercial malls to open until 10:00 pm, while those inside the malls close at the same time the malls are closed.

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