Mustang Drive-In owner John D'Addetta says he is frustrated that his business has been mandated to shut down by the province when COVID-19 safety concerns can easily be managed.
“Looking at the drive-in theatre, you can’t be any more safe than that,” says John D'Addetta, who feels the province bunched his business together with the indoor theatres where theatregoers would be sitting right next to each other.
“The drive-ins should be categorized as a different venue than the indoor theatres,” says D'Addetta about his seasonal business that operates only six months of the year.
“It’s going to be a very bad year to recoup,” says D'Addetta who had geared his theatre for opening at the last week of March with his movies prepared and notices sent to all his customers that they were going to open.
“And then right after we get hit with this lockdown,” says D'Addetta.
He says while the main concern with the pandemic is physical distancing, customers at the drive-in theatre are safe in their cars.
“If you’re parked in the parking lot in your own vehicle, there’s no problem,” says D'Addetta.
He says he is willing to make adjustments to make his business safer.
“I can further add to that by spacing out the vehicles 12 ft apart,” says D'Addetta which would cut space for over 500 customers in half.
“That’s ample room for safe distancing,” says D'Addetta, adding that he would further limit the number of customers accessing the washrooms and snack bar at any given time.
Scheduled to open at the end of March, John D'Addetta says his business is already two months behind. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, D'Addetta says his business will continue to take a hit.
“I’ve contacted Doug Ford and no response yet,” says D'Addetta adding that in other provinces and countries around the world, drive-in theatres have been allowed to remain open.
With indoor theatres closed, many people around the world have been flocking to drive-in theatres as summer approaches and safety concerns surge.
“These are busy times. Again till we get the go-ahead to open up, we can’t do anything about it,” says D'Addetta.
