Saudi Arabia eliminates gender-segregated entrances for eateries

Restaurants and cafes in Saudi Arabia are no longer required to have gender-segregated entrances, officials have said.

The ministry of municipalities and rural affairs said on Twitter Sunday it was eliminating several requirements for restaurants, including the need for “an entrance for bachelors and a separate entrance for families”.

Eateries have long required one entrance for single men and another for women and families. It was unclear whether a restriction on seating inside restaurants will also be removed.

There was no announcement of changes to other public establishments, such as schools and hospitals, which appear likely to remain segregated for now.

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has sought to project a “moderate, business-friendly image” of his austere kingdom as he seeks to boost investment.

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s reputation in the West as a bold reformer suffered after the murder of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed by Saudi agents last year inside the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate.