Cape Town has announced an innovation aimed at helping diners feel safer and to help local restaurants through this summer.

Starting on 18 December, Cape Town will close certain streets to vehicles and open them for pedestrians and diners only, so allowing restaurants to use the street space for more safe, outdoor seating.

On the 18th, street closures will be in effect in Bree Street between Hout and Wale from 14h00 to 23h00.

Twenty eateries will take part in this safe, unique dining experience, and live music entertainment will be announced.

In the weeks thereafter, this safer dining innovation will expand to other streets too including Harrington and Long. Details of all road closures and participating streets will be announced.

The open-air dining idea was that of Capetonian Richard Holmes who contacted the Mayor on Twitter.

Geordhin Hill Lewis says the events team has worked quickly to arrange it, and they’ve delivered a great line-up of safe, socially-distanced evenings of open-air dining in Cape Town’s streets.

We know the impact that Covid has had on Cape Town businesses and the thousands of Capetonians they employ. Innovative thinking is needed to help get our economy through this wave, and we are committed to doing what we can. The City centre has always been a hub for entertainment, food and culture and we hope to rejuvenate this. We encourage residents to support the local restaurant trade while staying safe this summer.