Seats sit empty now, but with spring around the corner...
"Outdoor dining in downtown, especially in the peak season, is a huge shot in the arm for restaurants down here," says Sean Luther, President and CEO of Downtown Roanoke Incorporated.
Roanoke City Council had those businesses and their customers in mind when it went about tweaking an existing law on panhandling..
Starting Monday -all panhandlers must stay 25-feet away from customers eating outside and waiting in lines.
Council member Dr. David Trinkle explains, "The ordinance will say it has to be intrusive and aggressive. Very aggressive. They keep coming to you despite the fact that you've said you don't want to give any to that particular person or that particular cause."
Sean Luther is the President and CEO of the development group Downtown Roanoke Incorporated.
He was also part of a task force to fine tune the ordinance - and says in no way is it meant to hurt people down on their luck.
"In addition to being a public safety issue around ATMs, we want to protect those businesses to conduct what they're good at and make sure everybody's having a pleasant experience downtown," says Luther.
Luther tells News7 - research from the task force showed most of the city's panhandlers aren't from the area - but are just passing through and trying to make a little money.
