DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A flurry of inspections at restaurants in Douglas County took place Monday as they race to once again allow indoor seating.
Douglas County inspector Sean Owens was going over every space at Clock Tower Grill at Lincoln Station in Lone Tree.
“I love to see that someone has taken the time to printout the state poster for the required masks,” Owens said.
Restaurants like Clock Tower Grill have not been allowed to serve indoors due to Douglas County’s Level Red status on the COVID dial.
Clock Tower Grill’s owner Matt Trostle said there were times when he thought he was not going to make it. He opened in grill in January just before the pandemic began.
But now there is more hope than ever that Clock Tower Grill has time to turn things around and survive.
The state has given Douglas County permission to allow businesses to expand capacity if an inspector certifies they are meeting strict COVID safety guidelines.
Trostle says he absolutely has.
“We’ve made it known they (customers) can place reservations and we’ll make sure they are further than 10 feet away in the restaurant,” Trostle said.
Just since last Wednesday, more than 100 business have become 5 Star certified.
Clock Tower Grill passed with flying colors and received its certification to allow indoor seating Monday afternoon.
Trostle said he felt “relief and happiness obviously. (I have) the light at the end of the tunnel feeling.”
At Clock Tower Grill, the count down has started to a long-awaited step to the good ole days.
So far, the state has approved 5 Star certifications to Summit, Douglas, Larimer and La Plata counties. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is currently reviewing four other applications.
More than 150 establishments in Douglas County are in the process of seeking best practice certifications. They include gyms and indoor event venues all hoping to increase capacity.
The Clock Tower Grill plans to open indoor seating Tuesday.