Admire their attempt. I can imagine their worry for the future. I have lost 50% of my income through lockdown decisions.

Reasturants work on very small margins. Selling of alcohol/drinks provides a noticeable part of the income. Of course, ordering takeaway is great, but will never even probably cover their real costs. No more group events, birthdays, celebrations etc. Self-employed are being crapped on everywhere.

No evidence that lockdowns work, only to scare people, push some into financial hardship or ruin, and make people scared of each other.

The places that took part were taking a stand, knowing the consequences and they some how do have a point.

These places have put up perspect screens, separated tables, set up apps and contract tracing measures, online menus so you dont touch the cards, they have jumped through hoops to follow the rules and make everything safe.

Yet on the trains, trams, buses. If I have a coke or a coffee, I can sip away freely with every man and his dog next to me. All the ski lifts are back up and running, having been in one in Interlaken over new years, yes everyone wore a mask, but we were still packed in like sardines.

And from what I read, these businesses without more financial support or being allowed to open again, will shut anyway in March, so what difference does making a stand, being heard and losing your license make, if you are losing your business anyway.

There is zero consistency in just about any country on the message and rules that are being communicated.

Can anyone tell me why reducing convenient/train station stores and food stores opening hours, giving people less chance to shop for food and intensifying the customers during the opening hours will help reduce the spread?

Bring back normality!!

Rubbish.

Scenario A: following the rules and lose your business.

Scenario B: open your business, lose the license (kill the takeaway option and uncertainty about getting a new one in the future), get fined (debt), and become almost unemployable in a salaried job because of the history of legal problems.

The issue here is that cantonal authorities are between a rock and a hard place. If they let the business open and do nothing, it just means there are different classes of people, some people that must respect laws, and another privileged group of people above laws. If they go hard after the small business, they're damaging their own population. Hard decisions.

I guess the way out is to talk about how to live with virus for several years. The dreams about a vaccine (perfect solution) have hindered the discussion on how to live with the virus during an unknown period of time (imperfect and good enough solution). So, don't kill the good in the name of perfect.

PS. don't kill the good (takeaway) in the name of perfect (full occupation of tables) also applies to restaurants.

PS#2 : Thinking a bit about business, is there a service where a restaurant cook stops by Prodega, brings the ingredients to your home, cooks and serves there? Any current law against this? I've seen the hairdresser visit my neighbors, it's curious how he carries all his stuff in a wheeled box.

this might be harsh but a lot of these do need to go out of business judging on the service and quality they provide. new ones will spring up that will be better oriented to the customer

as way of example I was in a boulangerie last sunday (one of the few ones that is open on sunday) and they had a gallet de rois and I asked if it was fresh (this specific boulangerie markets itself on "freshly made")... the employee basically went on rant for 5 mins complaining "hy should I come in at 5am to bake" and ended with a "I can't be bothered, just choose what you want"

I've noticed the restaurants that have been successful in the lockdown (and there are several) have been creative, customer friendly and overall have managed to maintain or grow their business

i agree with that. buts hard to be either great or bad if you're closed. let's face it - take away is not the same and will never generate the necessary revenue for most restaurants to survive. especially good restaurants.

To be fair, a lot of them that are struggling the worst are essentially Truckers stops and provide 'cheap', fast simple food at lunchtime for construction workers, drivers and local offices.

These people don't want a take-away. They want a simple warming lunch out of the cold.

The equivalent in the U.K. would probably be known as a 'greasy spoon'.