Hamptons residents are bemoaning that their favorite summer spot, Sunset Beach will not open this summer.

Owner Andre Balazs said the fashionable seasonal beachfront restaurant on Shelter Island has confirmed that it will not open this year because the always-packed venue does not offer the ability to practice social distancing, plus the challenges of training and housing a seasonal staff – who often live in shared accommodation.

Balazs told the Shelter Island Gazette, “Our number one concern is the health of our employees and customers…Safety is number one. Not image, not money or anything.” Balazs said he hopes to keep his other properties open, including The Mercer Hotel in Manhattan and the Chateau Marmont in L.A.