The governor’s economic reopening task force unanimously approved Thursday a recommendation that would give New Hampshire stores the option to operate at full capacity, as well as new guidelines for the state's ski areas.
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Retailers across the state have been operating at half capacity since Gov. Chris Sununu began reversing some of the economic restrictions put in place in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nancy Kyle, who leads the state’s retail association, said this would be a boost for many local retailers that are struggling under the current occupancy cap.
“We’re heading into the Christmas season, and we need to do everything to support our local retailers, the ones that have invested in our community, the ones that have storefronts in our community and pay taxes,” Kyle told task force members.
The task force also approved new safety guidelines for New Hampshire’s ski industry. Those include social distancing and a mask requirement at ski resorts which plan to operate at a limited capacity.
Tom Day, general manager of Gunstock's Mountain Resort, said visitors will also be required to store their belongings in a new way.
“Your car is really going to be your locker room now,” Day said. “You won’t be able to be in the lodge to leave a lot of bags inside and also where you will be able to eat your lunch.”
These new guidelines still need to be reviewed by the state's health department and require final approval from the governor.
