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Copa: Restaurants 'unfairly singled out'
Elizabeth Turnbull, owner of Copa in Durham, says Gov. Roy Cooper's restrictions to limit the spread of coronavirus have come down too hard on restaurants.
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Elizabeth Turnbull, owner of Copa in Durham, says Gov. Roy Cooper's restrictions to limit the spread of coronavirus have come down too hard on restaurants.
>> SUCH A TIGHT KNIT GROUP. SUCH A LOSS IF THAT COMMUNITY. CARE ACCRUINGER LIVE IN DURHAM. THANK YOU. >>> A LITTLE MORN TWO HOURS AGO THE GOVERNOR ISSUE A NEW STAY- AT-HOME ORDER TO HELP SLOW THE VIRUS. STARTING FRIDAY, THE GOVERNOR IS ASKING NORTH CAROLINIANS TO STAY HOME BETWEEN 10:00 P.M. AN 5:00 A.M. AMONG BYS AFFECT BID THIS, RESTAURANTS WHICH ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING. JOINING US ISELIZABETH TURNBULL. I KNOW THIS IS LAST THING YOUR INDUSTRY NEED. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS LATEST ORDER WILL AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS. >> WELL, DIRECTLY TO BE HONEST, IT WON'T AFFECT US OR OTHERS VERY MUCH BECAUSE WE ARE ALL WRAPPING UP OUR HIS MOST NIGHT BEFORE THE CURFEW. INDIRECT LYRIC I THINK THIS COULD DEVASTATE OUR ALREADY STRUGGLING BUSINESS. WE'VE SEEN OUR NUMBERS PLUM NET THE LAST MONTH AND THIS IS JUST GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE BY MAKING IT LESS APPEALING AN MAKING IT HARD ERRED FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO EAT. PEOPLE JUST DON'T FEEL SAFE AND THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE BECAUSE THEIR LEADER ARE TELLING THEM NOT TO DO IT. SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS AND THE WHOLE RESTAURANT SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE BEING UNFAIRLY SINGLED OUT BY OUR GOVERNMENT LEADERS. WE ARE BEING ASKED TO SHOULDER MORE OF THE BURDEN WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL AID. BIG BACH STORES, SUPERMARKET AN COB INSTRUCTION SITES SEEM TO BE EXEMPT FROM THESE ORDERS AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO OPERATE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTS. YOU KNOW, IT IS EVEN HARDER FOR US I THINK TO ACCEPT IT BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE ACCUSATIONS ARE BEING MADE WITHOUT SPECIFIC DATA. FOR EXAMPLE, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, WE SERVED OVER 3,000 PEOPLE IN HOUSE SINCE JULY AND WE HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE CASE OF TRANSMISSION TRACED BACK TO US. AND IT IS A SIMILAR STORY FOR OUR COLLEAGUES. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE 100% ON BOARD WITH DOING WHATEVER IT TAKE TO BEAT THE VIRUS. IT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT MY BUSINESS. IT AFFECT MY LOVED ONES. MY TEAM MEMBERS, MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY. BUT IF GOVERNOR COOPER WANTS ANY INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT LEFT STANDING AT THE END OF THIS, HE NEED TO TAKE A LONG, HARD LOOK AT HIS RESPONSE TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. HE CAN'T ASK US TO STAY OPEN WHILE ALSO TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO DINE WITH US. FOR EXAMPLE, IN TODAY APPEAR PRESS CONFERENCE, HE TOLD PEOPLE NOT TO FA THEY ARE IN RESTAURANTS BUT THERE UP WITH THE JUAN WORD OF SUPPORT FOR TAKEOUT OR GIFT CERTIFICATES OR ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE SUPPORT. >> AND THE HOLIDAY SEASON TOPIC ALLEGE A VERY BUSY SEASON IF RESTAURANTS AN BARS ALIKE. WE'RE GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOUR PARTICULAR RESTAURANT HASN'T HAD ANY CANADIAN SINCE JULY. THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR. BUT AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A MASSIVE INDUSTRY HERE AND NOT ONLY NORTH CAROLINA BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE WISH YOU THE BEST OVER THE HOLIDAYS. WE HOPE YOU AND YOUR STAFF STAY SAFE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE REALLY HOPING FOR SOME SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND