Governor murphy not ready to expand indoor dining limits, urges outdoor dining this spring and summer
New York / USA - October 3 2020: An empty outdoor restaurant in downtown Manhattan. Covid outdoor dining

Governor Murphy not ready to expand indoor dining limits, urges outdoor dining this spring and summer

Posted by
1 min read
April 27, 2021
Murphy gun shy on expanding indoor dining capacity as summer nears but supports expanded outdoor dining

TRENTON, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy remains hesitant to pull back the restrictions on indoor dining, currently capped at 50% capacity as the pandemic in his state starts to ebb. New Jersey has been one of the nation’s leaders in the vaccination effort and the results are showing.

Murphy said he’s not ready to increase indoor dining capacity yet.

“And a reminder to our restaurants who we know are anxious to expand dining capacities as the weather continues to get warmer, that outdoor dining is not subject to any numerical capacity limitation, unlike in indoor dining, which remains at 50% capacity at the moment. The only limitation for outdoor dining is physical spaces,” Murphy said. “I certainly look forward to our ability to increase indoor dining capacities in the near future. But until that time, we want to make sure that our dining establishments, though, they could go forward to maximize their outdoor footprints.”

Murphy urged local municipalities and businesses to work together to facilitate outdoor dining as the weather warms.

“We’ve noted here before how many of our restaurants in their host communities have gotten incredibly creative and flexible in allowing for outdoor dining and many of the steps we took last summer in support of our restaurants are now a matter of state law. We know increased outdoor dining is here to stay,” Murphy said.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version