Vancouver’s rule breaking restaurant reopened to takeout only

A controversial Vancouver restaurant is back in business, after it was shutdown by officials for refusing to comply, again, with COVID-19 public health measures.

On Monday, after nearly four weeks, Corduroy Lounge was allowed to serve customers again but is limited to take-out service only.

No dine-in service is allowed, and therefore the restaurant does not need to check for a vaccine passport. However, it still must follow an approved safety plan.

The Kitsilano eatery was ordered to close Oct. 20 after it was found to be in violation of the B.C. Public Health Act.

The province requires all licensed restaurants to check for proof of immunization, and a mask mandate also remains in place for all indoor spaces.

Both rules the restaurant refused to follow, according to Vancouver Coastal Health.

As a result, the restaurant was closed, and the City of Vancouver suspended its business license.

According to the health authority, Corduroy is also the only restaurant in the health region to be closed down because it refused to check for a B.C. Vaccine Card since that became mandatory in the province in mid September.

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The restaurant has been in a constant battle with officials over its refusal to follow COVID-19 health guidelines over its claims to be supporting freedom and denying the pandemic exists.

(Warning explicit language) Things are getting heated at the anti-lockdown protest in #Vancouver outside #Corduroy’s restaurant. @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/d9ddu3kQ47

— Ashley Burr (@AshleyBurr_) April 24, 2021

Earlier this year, Corduroy was ordered to close by the province after defying B.C.’s ban on indoor dining for two straight nights.

Health Minister Adrian Dix and other politicians and leaders have been vocal with their frustration over the restaurants flouting restrictions implemented to mitigate the spread of the virus.

With files from Hana Mae Nassar, Denise Wong, and Lisa Steacy