New Hope becomes less dog friendly
Colorful, progressive, tolerant — all words that have been used to describe the artsy Pennsylvania borough of New Hope, where tourism is the leading industry.
But, with one warning memo from the Bucks County Department of Health, it has become a little less of all those things.
This summer, the Bucks County Department of Health sent a letter to New Hope restaurants, notifying management that dogs are not permitted in outdoor dining and bar areas where either food or drinks are prepared, according to Phillyburbs.com.
And most restaurants in town– at least those that prepare food or, more commonly, drinks outside – seem to be heeding it.
“Everyone’s in an uproar,” said the owner of Martine’s RiverHouse Restaurant & Bar, one of the restaurants that says they are not subject to any heightened enforcement of the old law.
“I feel like New Hope is such a dog friendly place that it’s definitely going to hurt business,” said the restaurant’s manager, Chrissy Mertz.
At places like The River’s Edge, an outdoor patio and bar at The Landing restaurant, bartender Joe Call called it “a shame. It’s like the end of an era … “We’ve always been dog friendly, now we’re just not allowed to be.”
The no-pets policy has always been in effect, said Bucks County Environmental Health Director Bill Roth. After realizing a number of restaurants in New Hope were violating it, a letter was sent by the health department to all borough restaurants to remind managers of the policy.
The policy does not apply to service dogs.
Managers for Martine’s RiverHouse say they and Bitter Bob’s BBQ are excluded from the no-dogs-allowed regulation because all food and drink, though they may be served outside, are prepared inside.
(Photo: A dog and his human enjoy lunch at Bitter Bob’s BBQ in New Hope; by Kim Weimer / Doylestown Intelligencer)
Posted by jwoestendiek August 1st, 2012 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, bars, bucks county, dining, dining with dogs, dog friendly, dogs, drinks, food, health department, memo, new hope, outdoor dining, pennsylvania, pet friendly, pets, preparation, restaurants, warning
Comments
Comment from LeoW
Time August 2, 2012 at 10:20 pm
Let me get this right: Unsupervised kids, chirping Nextel phones, loud cell phone conversations, tacky clothing…nope, I wouldn’t allow some owners to accompany their dogs to these dining areas either.
Comment from barry knister
Time August 7, 2012 at 11:14 am
How long will it take before those in the Outer Darkness–those who don’t “get” dogs–will grasp this simple fact: in our time, the real work of dogs is helping us to live, to be with us. I talk about such things on my own blog.
Comment from Deb
Time August 21, 2012 at 8:42 am
And this is why we spring for the airfare to travel to France and other European countries. Once you are there, lodging is less expensive, food is generally better, and our dogs are welcome in hotels, rental apartments, public transportation and, of course, IN restaurants (not just on the patio). And children seem better behaved, too.
Comment from Anne’n'Spencer
Time August 1, 2012 at 10:01 am
Aww. Greg and I got engaged in New Hope, and a pet cat played a part in our story. It was sitting decoratively in the window of an antique shop there as though inviting people to stop in. We did, and I enjoyed looking at the display of antique jewelry. Greg managed to purchase a ring quietly while I was involved in petting the cat. We left the shop, and he surprised me with the ring and popped the question as we stood on a picturesque little bridge.
So thank you, Cat, for nudging things along a little and helping me get hitched to my best and only–38 years ago. I hope your canine colleagues will soon be able to enjoy outdoor meals with their humans again.