New restrictions will make holidays tougher for Cape Breton entertainers, businesses

SYDNEY, N.S. -- Andrew Doyle was counting on performing over the holidays to bring in money for his young family, and get through the winter months when gigs are harder to come by. But Nova Scotia's new holiday restrictions for COVID-19 have him singing a different tune. 

"It's insanely frustrating," Doyle said. "It's almost infuriating."

Under the new restrictions, restaurants and licensed establishments across the province have to stop serving by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m.

Doyle says for himself, and others in the entertainment and service industries, the impact is big.

"My phone lit up and every single private event that I had, which I was depending on throughout the holidays just to try and make this work -- because this is what I do for a living -- was gone," Doyle said.

The owner of Sydney, N.S., restaurant and pub says, although he'll lose a few bucks from late-night shows, he thinks the new restrictions are the right move, even in parts of Nova Scotia outside the Halifax area, where case numbers have been far fewer.

"Obviously, it has an impact on your revenue for the later part of the evening," said Ardon Mofford. "We are a province, and we do have to stick together, and I know it's easier to make decisions for the province as a whole.  So I can see why they're doing it."

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil defended the new restrictions, saying the goal is for people to be able to enjoy the holidays, without there being a big spike in cases afterward.

"It's not too much to ask, quite frankly, when we have businesses -- restaurants and bars in Halifax -- that are closed completely," McNeil said. 

Doyle says he too understands government is trying to do its best with a tough situation. He simply feels there should be different rules for different parts of the province.

"My happy medium would have been keep the existing restrictions in place and let us keep doing what we're doing, which is being safe, being compliant," Doyle said.

The new restrictions are in place until Jan. 10 and Doyle says he and other performers were particularly counting on revenue from New Year's Eve shows.

Now, he says he has plans in the works to put on a show online.

Still, he worries some in the entertainment and service industries simply won't survive this second wave.

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  "My phone lit up and every single private event that I had, which I was depending on throughout the holidays just to try and make this work -- because this is what I do for a living -- was gone," musician Andrew Doyle said.