South Shore Resort No Longer Taking Non-Bubble Guests
LIVERPOOL, N.S.- A Queens County resort has temporarily shut its doors to anyone outside the Atlantic bubble.
Liverpool’s White Point Beach Resort will not be taking guests from outside the Atlantic Bubble for the months of July and August.
Management and ownership made the announcement last Thursday after hearing concerns from both visitors and staff about the spread of COVID-19.
The decision was not an easy one to make, said general manager Dylan Meisner, however it was necessary.
“Everyone is concerned about COVID-19,” he said.
“There is angst all the time about it. So I’ve listened to the staff, to the community, and all I can do is look after my own. All I can do is my due diligence to keep the business I represent as safe as possible, and its not just a physical safety, but a mental safety as well.”
The mental aspect of COVID-19 and the widespread worry that comes with it is something Meisner says is being overlooked.
“The mental side of what COVID-19 means and what it can do could decimate the economy faster than the physical side,” he said.
“Everyone’s focus on the quarantine side of this is that it is 14 days, however I think there is an absolute misunderstanding about this. People think its 14 days of walking the beach, going to grocery stores, that’s not the case.”
This misunderstanding, he said, creates a lot of fear and concern about what could happen if COVID-19 reaches their doorstep, something he hopes this new policy will help prevent.
As of July 16th, those visiting the resort must show proof of residency within the bubble through photo ID, or they will be denied access. This also includes travelers from outside the bubble who have quarantined in Nova Scotia for 14 days.
Whether or not Nova Scotia or the Atlantic provinces agree to open their borders to other provinces, Meisner says they are sticking to their plan until September at the earliest.
“For the province, when the premier decides it is safe to restart the Nova Scotia economy, they have every right to do so,” he said.
“For us down here, I have to look after us… both bottom and top (revenue lines) are going to suffer. Our hope is we’ll have some local pick up that we might not normally have had, however the decision was never financial for us.”
Meisner said since making the announcement, they’ve received both positive and negative feedback.
“We knew that was going to happen,” he said, “But so far, the pick up has been there from the people in the Atlantic provinces who are coming out to support us.”