Update: Craft Beer Market Temporarily Closes After Complaints of Illness

UPDATED: At around 6p.m. Craft Beer Market posted this on their Facebook site:
"We have now received a temporary closure notice from Vancouver Coastal Health. We are meeting with them tomorrow morning and will update you at that time. Please note: Norwalk/norovirus HAS NOT been confirmed as cause of guest or staff illness."

Craft Beer Market have just released a statement after Global ran a story claiming that they had been closed down after Vancouver Coastal Health were called in after 6 patrons fell ill from Norovirus. The story goes on to state that: "The cause of the illness was employees who were ill and went to work."
Mia Stainsby reviewed the restaurant recently noting, "One detail — it would be nice if they wiped tables clean of spills at least between courses."

However, since the story appeared just before 4p.m., a statement has been released on Craft's Facebook account:

The health and safety of our guests and team are the number one priority for us," says Owner/Operator, Scott Frank. "Although we have not been given a formal closure notice, at this point due to 2 staff members with symptoms of stomach flu and 2 guests contracting it, we have closed the restaurant as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our guests.

"Although it is suspected stomach flu we are unsure of its origin, and type and are taking the precautions necessary to ensure our guests safety. Our guests are what is most important to us, and on the advice of Vancouver Coastal Health we are closing until tomorrow to avoid any contraction from our guests."

Timeline Of Events
• Vancouver Coastal Health received two illness complaints from guests
• Wednesday, June 18th
o A representative of Vancouver Coastal Health went to CRAFT Beer Market to speak with the Chef and look into the complaints
o After speaking with CRAFT's Executive Chef they became aware of two staff members who had experienced common stomach flu symptoms
1 staff member was sent home on Sunday, June 15th after feeling ill
1 staff member felt sick prior to going into work on Tuesday, June 17th but was feeling better throughout the day
o Vancouver Coastal Health recommended a temporary closure and a complete sanitization of the restaurant as a precautionary measure
o No official cause for staff and guest illness confirmed
o Restaurant temporarily closed and currently undergoing complete sanitization
This involves a bleach and water solution and includes sanitization of all surfaces including floors, walls, tables, table bases, chairs. All service ware including plates, glasses, cutlery, etc. also go through a cleaning process.

At the time of the release the restaurant has not received an official closure order from Vancouver Coastal Health.

"We are currently waiting to hear back from Vancouver Coastal Health on next steps," says Frank. "We want to be as transparent as possible throughout the process. Our main focus is sanitizing the restaurant and addressing any issues that could affect the well being of our guests and staff. We look forward to serving the great people of Vancouver tomorrow, and look forward to your continued support."
· Norovirus Causes Six Patrons to Fall Ill at Popular Vancouver Restaurant [Global]
· Craft Beer Market [Official Site]
· All Craft Beer Market Coverage [EVAN]