Pandemics and restrictions have hit the restaurant industry hard and therefore the Moderates and the Center Party have proposed that restaurants should be allowed to drive out alcohol with food to make it easier for the industry.
Corresponding decisions have previously been made by Växjö and Nacka municipalities.
On Thursday, the labor market and social committee in Malmö decided to approve the Moderates' proposal.
- For us moderates, this feels fantastically fun considering that there are restaurants that are days or weeks from bankruptcy in Malmö.
It is extra gratifying that the Liberals have voted with us on this issue, says the moderate opposition councilor Torbjörn Tegnhammar.
The Social Democratic municipal councilor Sedat Arif is not happy with the decision:
- It is an unfortunate decision for several reasons.
We want all decisions made to be in accordance with the existing rules.
We wanted to let the lawyers look at this to create a good picture of what applies.
Then there is also the public health perspective to take into account, says Sedat Arif (S)
To be considered as catering
According to the proposal, home deliveries should be considered as catering to closed parties in premises that are not intended for the public.
Age and sobriety must be checked upon home delivery and only restaurants with a catering permit may deliver alcohol with the food.
-This is probably an illegal board decision because we have seen that the county administrative board has criticized the same decision in Växjö, says municipal councilor Sedat Arif (S)
"The Board's decision applies"
Växjö municipality has previously given the go-ahead for restaurants for home delivery of alcohol during the corona crisis.
The County Administrative Board in Småland has examined the matter and criticizes that serving has been allowed in guests' homes, without serving managers remaining until all wine has actually been drunk.
- Bureaucrats may have views on this, but it is the board's decision that applies.
Now the permit unit in Malmö must act quickly to get this started as quickly as possible, says Torbjörn Tegnhammar (M)