The Irish Harp Pub must wait longer to learn if it can its outdoor patio in exchange for paying nearly $436,000 to the town after Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors deferred making a decision until February.

The restaurant’s outdoor patio, which is behind the King Street business and uses six parking spaces, has been in operational since 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jovie Joki, owner of the pub since 2013, told councillors Tuesday the patio has provided “essential” revenue and continues to be a “critical element to our stability.”

She said closing the patio would result in a loss of about one-quarter of her staff and cause a “substantial downsize” of the business.

Dan Romanko, a planner for Better Neighbours Inc. who represented during Joki the meeting, said there has been a “large

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