Raleigh alliance wants outdoor dining regulations to continue through rest of 2021

On a beautiful day like Monday, it would be hard to not enjoy eating outside. The Labor Day holiday brought people out downtown as many were eating on tables set up on the sidewalk.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance wants sights like that to continue. The alliance is asking City Council to extend the existing emergency outdoor seating regulations to Dec. 31. and keep the outdoor dining permit free through June 2022.

In the spring, Raleigh City Council approved an extension of outdoor dining through Oct. 30. Every restaurant owner who spoke with WRAL on Monday said they want the current availability of outdoor seating to stay.

This would allow restaurants to serve more people, but as one downtown bartender says it brings life to the area.

"It makes downtown seem more lively," Walt Johnson of The Big Easy, Bartender. "You walk through here and you see people out here eating, which make people want to stop and eat there."

Earlier this year, the alliance surveyed more than 1,000 residents and spoke with city staff, business owners and employees about how best to continue using outdoor spaces downtown. The group presented its findings to the City Council, showing that a majority of residents want to continue using the "public realm" for more dining and activities.

The city council meets on Tuesday at 1 p.m.