The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A well-known sports bar yesterday said it was "blessed" to have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic apart from during the nationwide lockdown.

James Galantis, Twisted Lime's general manager, told Tribune Business: “We're doing actually really well. I can say that we are very blessed and that we're doing what we're doing pretty well.”

He explained that Twisted Lime had used its outside bar to serve customers cocktails amid the various curfews and other restrictions while complying with the present prohibition on outdoor dining.

Mr Galantis confirmed: “The indoors are not open. We don't have a hotel license. The hotels are the only ones that are allowed to open indoors. We have an outdoor bar that's open, but then it's a specific size and we could only fit so many people there. Our indoor bar is for our employees to mix drinks for the person sitting at the tables.”

Calling on all business owners to remain positive despite the hardship inflicted by COVID-19, Mr Galantis added: “We're a sports bar, so most of our TV’s are inside, and it does affect us. But, again, at the same time, considering the situation, I don't want to shine a light on the negative because at this moment we're extremely blessed to have what we have.

"I never closed. I've been open from day one right from the jump. We've never closed; only where the Government had a mandatory shutdown. That's the only time we closed, otherwise we have been open and we have never closed our doors. This is about love, and hard work is what kept us open.”