Toronto bar blames customers for breaking rules as video of crowded patio spreads
Another week, another video of people partying in close proximity on a patio on King West.
This time around, the now-viral footage comes to us by way of multiple readers who copped it from *sigh* Chair Girl's Instagram feed.
The 20-year-old woman, who made headlines earlier this week for avoiding jail, posted a series of videos to IG on Wednesday night in which people can be seen laughing and drinking on the patio of Arcane Nightclub at 461 King Street West.
While normally this would be nothing to blink at, laws are currently in place that mandate physical distancing in public. All people who do not live together (or belong to the same 10-person social circle) must stand at least two metres away from each other at all times.
Just another night at Arcane on King West https://t.co/sSZQSZGZUE #Toronto #KingWest #TorontoPatio pic.twitter.com/CuWpNhTw4R
— blogTO (@blogTO) July 23, 2020
Being that Toronto remains in Stage 2 of the province's economic reopening plan, gatherings are also still strictly capped at a maximum of 10 people.
The video seen above does suggest that provincial emergency orders and city bylaws were violated on Arcane's patio last night, though not at the same level as what's been witnessed at other King West bars like MARBL and Goldie.
Unlike the former bars, however, Arcane took swift action to defend itself as Chair Girl's Instagram footage spread.
— Arcane Toronto (@arcanetoronto) July 23, 2020
"The safety of our guests and staff is our top priority and we are complying fully with all guidelines currently in place," reads a statement from the club, which is run by the same group behind BlueBlood Steakhouse and Cibo Wine Bar.
"The patio at Arcane has a capacity of 142 people. We are very strict on access and there are no more than 70 people allowed on the patio at any given time. We take reservations only for access. Each reservation has a maximum capacity of six people and is assigned a specific table to sit at."
"It appears the group in this video organized to book several tables and when one table opened champagne, the guests seated at other tables joined them," the statement continues. "Our staff immediately asked the individuals to go back to their assigned tables."
It is not known if Chair Girl and her friends were kicked out of the club or faced any sort of reprimand for breaking the rules, but based on her recent luck, my guess would be no.
