New Year’s parties can go ahead as ‘Cinderella’ rule lifted

The show must go on.

Cayman Islands residents will be able to see in the new year with a bang after government confirmed restrictions on serving alcohol after midnight will be lifted. The measures – in place for the past two weeks – will be removed in time for the biggest party night of the year, with bars cleared to open until 2am and clubs until 4am.

The confirmation brought relief to event organisers who have been promoting New Year’s Eve parties in the hope that the regulations would not be extended past 30 Dec.

But frustration remains that the announcement was not made until Thursday afternoon, leaving little time for people to make plans.

It is understood that restrictions on numbers are still in place, with outdoor events capped at 250 people and indoor locations at 100.

The midnight closure rule was announced by Premier Wayne Panton on 16 Dec. after Cayman’s first COVID-19 Omicron cases were confirmed. At the time, he said the measure would be in place until 30 Dec. pending further consideration.

Though there has been a continued surge in cases of the highly contagious variant, hospitalisations remain extremely low, with just four people with the virus in hospital as of 29 Dec.

The Liquor Licensing Board confirmed Thursday that opening hours could return to normal for 31 Dec., and on Friday nights going forward. The hours will also be relaxed for the public holiday, meaning clubs can open in the early hours of Monday,  from midnight to 4am.

Mix of relief and frustration

Kenny Rankin, who runs several venues and entertainment businesses across Cayman, said the rule had never made sense. He said it was a relief that it had been lifted in time for New Year’s Eve.

“We continued to promote our events because we can’t just leave it till the last day. We keep going until we can’t go any more,” he said.

“If we had to refund the tickets we would have had to take the loss, but we are good. We have a loyal following and we are expecting a great new year at all our locations.”

The ‘Glitter Beach’ event at Coral Beach and the ‘After Party’ events at the Lodge and Seven Mile Lounge are among the big events at his venues Friday night and into Saturday morning.

He said he would like government to move faster on lifting more of the COVID regulations but could accept the rules so long as they were applied equally.

At Grand Old House and the Wharf, there was some relief that two major parties would be allowed to run past midnight on New Year’s Eve.

But there was frustration too that uncertainty over the regulations had restricted ticket sales in what has already been a slow Christmas season.

Luciano De Riso, operations manager at both venues, said he had been told the restrictions would be lifted but customers understandably wanted to wait for an official announcement.

“I can’t sell tickets on the basis of something I heard,” he said. “People want to wait for the announcement.”

He said a lot of people had already made other plans by the time the news was confirmed.

“The rule didn’t really stop people from mixing, if that was what was intended, they just plan their own parties at home.”

He said the Grand Old House dinner event, DJ and fireworks, and the Wharf’s New Year’s Boogie Nights were outdoor events in large spaces, and he expects few issues.

Other New Year’s Eve events and fireworks displays are planned at most of the major hotels and at Camana Bay. The ‘Thatch and Barrel’ event at Pedro St. James is also expected to attract a crowd. A nine-course feast, DJ and dancing is planned at Kaibo. (Check bars, clubs and restaurants websites and Facebook pages for details.)

The Liquor Licensing Board confirmed the restrictions had been lifted in a statement issued around 3.30pm Thursday.

Licensees can contact the Department of Commerce and Investment on 244-2202, 244-6677 or email at [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.