Cafes in Paris extended out onto the street to boost while ensuring social distancing
It comes ahead of the reopening of the hospitality sector here next week.
Derry City and Strabane District councillors agreed that if a business applies for a licence they will not enforce any regulations during the statutory 28 day consultation period.
Automatic consent for a pavement licence will be granted, unless the PSNI or Department for Infrastructure object.
The licence will last for six months.
Councillors also agreed to waive the associated pavement licence fees.
It’s part of council’s measures to “assist businesses recover from the pandemic situation and restore the local economy,” a council spokeswoman says.
A similar is also being rolled out in Belfast to help bars, restaurants and cafes try and recover their trade after three months in total lockdown to the public.
When Paris reopened after a three month lockdown, cafes and bars extended their premises out onto the pavements to help get more customers in while maintaining social distancing.
The hospitality trade can reopen their doors next Friday, July 3, to the public once again.
On Thursday, the Stormont Executive announced that was reducing social distancing measure from 2 metres to one metre from Monday, June 29.
Hospitality bosses say this reduction will increase the operational capacity of their premises to at least 70 per cent.
