MANCHESTER, N.H. – New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu made a stop at the Red Arrow Diner on Wednesday to take a look at newly installed social distancing devices and talk with the Red Arrow’s owners to hear their thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their business.
These new devices, plexiglass dividers between booths that will allow the diner to begin using some booths once again that had been closed for social distancing reasons, are just the latest change for the New Hampshire-based chain of restaurants as it aims to cope with the pandemic.
Other changes include a brief inclusion of delivery service as well as curb-side pickup, online ordering and new outdoor seating areas, with Red Arrow Diner co-owner Carol Lawrence saying the curb-side service, online ordering and outdoor seating will remain even after the pandemic concludes. She added that increased unemployment benefits and a lack of child care has made it difficult to find employees, but says overall her business is learning to adjust to the realities of the COVID-19 era.
“I hope things continue this way and things slowly get back to the way it was, but I know it will take a while,” she said.
Lawrence believes the new dividers will be crucial for the restaurant as outdoor seating as the weather gets colder and outdoor seating becomes less feasible for restaurant customers. She is also grateful for the state’s Safer at Home guidance that provided instruction on how to maintain indoor service while keeping her customers safe.
Sununu said the success of those guidelines come in large part to the partnership in their development between local businesses and state experts such as State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan as well as their constant evolution to keep up with new developments relating to the pandemic.
“I think across the state, individuals have come together and done the right thing continued with innovation and I think that’s why we’re leading the nation,” said Sununu.
The Governor also touted stimulus programs offered by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR), such as the Main Street Relief Fund, which provided $350,000 to the Red Arrow alone.
Thanks to that funding, Sununu stated that New Hampshire has weathered the pandemic better than most states and avoided potential long-lasting repercussions of the pandemic brought by the closures of businesses.
“That allowed them survive and to keep their employees on a little longer so as the economy comes back, these businesses are here to take advantage,” said Sununu on the stimulus programs. “Because if they go bankrupt in July, they’re not coming back in September, they’re done.”
While GOFERR was established to help distribute New Hampshire’s portion of funding from the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, better known as the CARES Act, Sununu is confident that additional stimulus can be provided without additional support from Washington, with plans for a Main Street Relief Fund 2.0 coming soon.
Despite the rapidly approaching state and federal election, Sununu says he’s had little time to campaign due to the time commitments and new procedures needed to shepherd the state through the pandemic. He also shrugged off attacks from New Hampshire Democrats trying to tie him to President Donald Trump, stating that New Hampshire voters look more toward results, adding that those voters will also hold elected officials accountable if they choose to support income or sales taxes.
“That’s just the Democrats’ (modus operandi), I think Granite Staters know my focus is on the 603,” he said.
Michael Beyer, spokesperson for the New Hampshire Democratic Party, challenged that belief.
“Sununu proved his loyalty to Trump by calling himself a ‘Trump guy through and through’ and bringing his out-of-touch agenda to New Hampshire,” said Beyer. “Sununu can’t hide from the fact that like Trump, he supports judges that could make abortion illegal, supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and is backed by big health insurance and drug companies that are making health care more expensive.”