They announced last week that they would not be screening their customers and they are keeping their word. They have even been joined since Monday by more establishments. Nearly a hundred bars and restaurants, mainly in Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire, claim the right to ignore the health pass in their premises. Gathered in two collectives
“Welcome here, controlling is not our job” and “Les Bistrotiers bretons”, these angry managers do not hide their approach and even display an explanatory text, accompanied by a distinctive logo, on their windows.
“We are places open to all without distinction. Unconditional welcome, mutual aid and exchange are fundamental concepts, part of our core values. We refuse to play the role of health police and thus to control, sort and separate the users of our places ”, states in particular their joint press release.
“Against excluding anyone”
At Ty Coz, a cultural bar in Morlaix (Finistère), the refusal of the pass is “well understood” for the moment, according to his boss. “I do this job to bring people together, not to divide by accepting certain clients and closing the door to others,” explains Cécile. So we do not check their document, we are outlawing, but that does not prevent us from doing prevention, talking about the vaccine, paying attention to barrier gestures. “
“To control, to interact with a person who is not happy, it is not easy, it can be learned. In addition, we do not have all the staff to do this, ”considers Tristan Crosnier, owner of the Pioche game bar in Nantes. He continues: “We are against excluding anyone, including people in precariousness who are far from the health system and who find themselves even further away today. But we are well aware that the balance is fragile. Vaccinated clients who would feel worried, I don’t want to block them either, I offer them isolated spaces. “
“I don’t want my bar to become the haunt of antivax people”
The members of the collective insist on one point: they do not question “in any way the relevance of the vaccine”. “This is not our subject,” says Cécile, from Ty Coz in Morlaix. “I don’t want my bar to become the den of anti-tax people,” confirms Tristan in Nantes. We can see that vaccination is probably the most effective way to fight the epidemic today. We are ready to participate in the collective effort, but not by sorting out. “
According to members of the collective, this boycott of the health pass is far from isolated in the profession, even if many tenants “prefer to remain discreet”. It must be said that by displaying themselves in this way, the protesting establishments know that they risk sanctions fairly quickly. “I do not know what sauce we will be eaten, reacts the boss of Ty Coz. It worries me a little, obviously, especially since I feel a little alone in my city. An administrative closure of a few days I am ready but beyond that I will not be able. I have eight employees, I must also think of them. “” We suspect that it will fall, maybe next week, confides the manager of the Pickaxe. If the police arrive, I’ll be honest, I’ll explain my approach, what I’m putting in place, and we’ll see. We apprehend but we must remain consistent. “
Some people prefer to shut down
In the event of control of the police, the customers also expose themselves to verbalizations. At least a fixed fine of 135 euros. “I understand the arguments of the bar, I support them, so if the police arrive, I will assume the fine,” promises Jean, a client from Nantes without a sanitary pass seated on the terrace. “There is a risk coming here, it’s true, but I consider that there are other solutions than this health pass. Like making vaccination compulsory, ”defends Miguel, another customer without a pass, a beer in his hand.
To avoid making customers take this risk, other member bistros of the collective have gone even further in the process: they have been closed since Monday, while waiting to find a better solution. This is the case with the Tri Martolod brewery in Concarneau (Finistère) or the Le Temps des Cerises crêperie in Tonquédec (Côtes d’Armor).
“I do not know how long I will last because there are inevitably economic consequences, but it is the best choice, justifies Yann, owner of Le Temps des cerises. I am vaccinated, well aware of the health situation. The half-gauge, the barrier gestures, okay. But refusing to serve regulars, or seeing the police disembark, I will not stand. “To maintain part of its activity, the restaurant owner is temporarily considering” take-away “.