Patrons and staff adjust to new COVID rules mandating a 10 p.m. cutoff for liquor sales

Stricter rules for bars and restaurants kicked in for Winnipeg and surrounding areas Wednesday night as the province struggles to slow the number of COVID-19 transmissions.

The new rules, announced Monday, require licensed restaurants and bars to stop serving alcohol at 10 p.m. and food at 11 p.m.

Staff will also have to collect contact information in writing from one person per table, which businesses have to hold onto for 21 days, in case it's needed for contact tracing. After that, they're required to destroy the information collected.

A significant portion of recent exposures and cases in Winnipeg have been linked to people bar-hopping, according to health officials. There are more than 800 active cases in Manitoba right now, the highest number ever. The majority of them are in Winnipeg.

"It's been a whirlwind," said Tyler Stewart, a bartender at Underdogs, located in the neighbourhood of St. James.

"Most bartenders in the city rely on [working] till 2 a.m. for hours too, not just tips. We're cutting four hours out of our paycheque every night." he said.

Stewart said while most customers are agreeable, it can be hard to be the enforcer of new COVID-19 safety rules.

"Most of my day is spent kind of spacing people out, getting people to remember to wear their masks," he said.

Most of my day is spent kind of spacing people out, getting people to remember to wear their masks.- Tyler Stewart, Underdogs bartender

"It's difficult, I'll be honest ... some people it seems like a chore just to get them to put on a mask when they walk to the bathroom," he said.

Assistant manager Nissa Martens said staff have been doing their best to enforce the rules.

"It's definitely been a bit of an adjustment for staff and guests alike, with the regulations changing so constantly and so drastically all the time," said

"We're doing our best to be flexible," she said, adding their sanitation practices are "through the roof.

"We do want you to feel comfortable … we are putting your safety first."

Patrons AJ Sanchez and Megan Lupky said they had no issue with the tighter rules.

"I know a lot of people who love to go out and party late at night. I know we haven't been able to do that lately. But I think putting a cap on when you can serve alcohol is going to hurt bars a lot," Lupky said.

"We were totally cool with it. I assumed there was going to be a change," Sanchez said.

Customer Brett Robinson said he was happy to see the hostess taking down his contact information when he arrived.

"That's a positive. Contact tracing is what we need right now," Robinson said.

As for the early call on alcohol?

"Ten o'clock is fine at our age."