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People Dine In Private Greenhouses At Amsterdam Restaurant

People Dine In Private Greenhouses At Amsterdam Restaurant

The move comes as restaurants try to get back on their feet and prevent the spread of coronavirus

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

In a bid to protect diners from the spread of coronavirus, a restaurant in the Netherlands has installed private greenhouses for diners.

Mediamatic Biotoop, on the island of Oosterdok in Amsterdam, has built five pods for customers to dine in, and has been trialling them with volunteers.

A video shared on the eatery's Facebook page shows dozens of diners sat opposite each other on the banks of the river as gloved waiters serve them wine, careful not to get too close.

The idea has been called Serres Séparées, which translates to 'separate rooms' and will hopefully allow more restaurants to reopen and save their business from going under as a result of the global pandemic.

The trial of the socially distanced dining at the Mediamatic restaurant.
PA

However, if it is rolled out to customers, only those who live in the same house will be allowed to dine together.

Speaking about the proposed new seating plans, the restaurant said it allows for a greater level of intimacy between customers.

A restaurant in Amsterdam has installed greenhouses for diners.
ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

A spokesperson said: "In restaurants and bars, a separate room is traditionally named in French: 'Chambre séparée.'

"It suggests a sexy kind of intimacy. Here things can happen that should remain hidden from plain sight and not be heard by all.

"We've decided to name our greenhouses in French too. Although what happens inside will be a lot more public."

Waiting staff all wore PPE during the trial.
PA

In the UK, several fast food chains are beginning to reopen select restaurants, only serving food via delivery while practising other social distancing.

Earlier this week, McDonald's announced the list of restaurants in the England it plans to reopen on 13 May.

In a post on Twitter, the fast-food chain wrote: "We are pleased to confirm the 15 restaurants we will open for McDelivery only from the 13th May."

The full list is:

  • Chelmsford Riverside
  • Chelmsford Westwat
  • Ipswich Cardinal Park
  • Boreham Interchange
  • Luton Leagrave
  • Watford Hertfordshire Arms
  • Chaul End Lane, Luton
  • Beechings Way, Gillingham
  • Sittingbourne Retail Park
  • Gillingham Bowaters
  • Tooting
  • Dalston
  • Welling
  • Harrow
  • Luton George Street

The fast food chain told LADbible that the selected stores were chosen based on their distance to the firm's distribution centre.

A McDonald's spokesperson said: "These 15 restaurants were chosen for their proximity to our distribution centre as we slowly but safely seek to reopen our restaurants and restart our supply chain.

"Rest assured we are working hard to reopen more restaurants across the UK and Ireland at the right time."

Featured Image Credit: ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Topics: News, Interesting, Health

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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