After choosing to ‘remain an inclusive place for all staff and guests’ the Kelowna restaurant has been ordered to close down.
Renegade Kitchen and Craft Bar made it clear on social media that they would not take part in checking for proof of vaccination from their patrons when the order went into place Sept. 13.
Now the vegan/vegetarian eatery has closed up shop with a formal order from Interior Health taped to the front door.
Interior Health first started contacting Renegade on Sept. 20 with complaints of the business not following the provincial mandate, which led to multiple follow ups from IH providing warnings of closure.
As of Oct. 5, the restaurant was hit with its final notice.
“You and Renegade Kitchen and Craft Bar have indicated that you do not comply with the Provincial Food and Liquor Serving Premise Order and are not verifying proof of vaccination; and have altered your business structure to only comply with the Interior Health Gatherings and Events Order,” reads the order from IH.
“Unvaccinated persons are at higher risk than vaccinated persons of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 and of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to other persons;”
“As a result you are contributing to the potential transmission of COVID-19 in a place which constitutes a health hazard under the Public Health Act,” explained the order.
A separate notice on the door from The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch has also suspended the bar's liquor license until further notice.
The restaurant's doors will stay closed indefinitely unless they begin to verify proof of vaccination of their customers and a health inspector grants them the ability to reopen.
KelownaNow has reached out to Renegade Kitchen and Craft Bar but they have yet to provide comment.
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