Diners can enjoy some of their favourite restaurant meals at home with a scheme designed to keep businesses running over the course of Covid-19.The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce teamed up with the City of Hamilton and the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation to launch a kerbside service.It explained in a press release that the initiative was “aimed at keeping restaurants operating, getting food to people that need it and maintaining the highest standards of safety”.Customers will be able to order meals online, pay for them over the telephone and have the food delivered to their car parked outside the eatery.The City will provide cones for restaurants to designate a parking bay at their doors to help the process move swiftly.Kendaree Burgess, the chamber’s chief executive, said: “The Chamber of Commerce is tasked with helping business operate in any and all conditions and implores residents to be mindful of the service, and to do their part in keeping Bermuda up and running where possible. “City restaurants must register to participate by contacting either the chamber or the BEDC. “The chamber will support the initiative with on going promotion and updates through out the Covid-19 period. “We are encouraging restaurants outside the city to enact similar policies, although the cones will only be available for those within the city. Sign up from now for cone collection from Friday.” She added: “We recognise that the deadlines are tight but we want to have these procedures in place should wide scale quarantines become a reality.” Dwayne Caines, the City’s chief operating officer, said: “In light of the potential significant impact to businesses from the coronavirus, the City of Hamilton fully supports the initiative for local restaurants to operate an enhanced takeout service for its consumers. “With more than 70 eateries throughout Hamilton, it is imperative that businesses operate as close to normal as possible to help reduce the knock-on economic effect across the community. “The City will identify designated parking bays in the vicinity of city restaurants that are taking part in the programme. “These bays will be for pick-up from the restaurants only, not for idling or visiting other businesses. “It will be the restaurants’ responsibility to police the bays to ensure that they are being used for this purpose and this purpose only. “Bays will be identified with City traffic cones. “The City implores the public to use the bays for their intended purpose. Abuse of the bays will result in a failed initiative with a ripple effect that may be widespread.“ Erica Smith, the BEDC executive director, encouraged all North Hamilton restaurants to join in. She said: “The BEDC is committed to helping Bermuda’s small and medium-sized businesses start up, grow, and sustain, both during good times and especially during challenging times. “The impact of Covid-19 on the world and our island is unprecedented, and so whatever we can do to assist businesses weather this storm, we will.“Partnerships are a tangible way to extend our assistance and so when asked to partner I said, of course.” Ms Smith added: “We at the BEDC value being able to work with our partners at the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Hamilton, and the Bermuda Bankers Association to be able brainstorm and develop this initiative to assist our restaurants in their time of need. “We hope restaurants will take advantage of this opportunity to deliver services differently, and we know the public will support these businesses in this time of need.” *Contact Debra Carreiro at the Chamber of Commerce on dcarreiro@bcc.bm or Raymond Lambert at rlambert@bedc.bm or info@bedc.bm at BEDC to participate.