CHICAGO (CBS) – Cork & Kerry, a popular Irish pub in the Beverly neighborhood, has been shuttered by the city, after repeatedly violating reopening requirements by staying open after midnight and not requiring customers and staff to wear masks.
An employee at the bar also tested positive for COVID-19 recently, according to Ald. Matt O’Shea’s office in District 19.
The city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection said investigators visited Cork & Kerry early Saturday morning, finding that customers and employees were not wearing face covers as needed, and that the bar was open after midnight, in violation of the city’s Phase 4 reopening rules. .
The city closed the bar on Saturday, and investigators returned early Sunday and found the same violations. BACP again cited Cork & Kerry, and ordered the pub to remain closed until they show up and the city approves a plan to safely reopen.
“Irresponsible actions like this put our entire city at risk and will not be tolerated,” BACP spokesman Isaac Reichman wrote in an email.
O’Shea said he asked BACP to work with the owner of Cork & Kerry to make sure the tavern complies with city public health regulations.
“Resident safety is my top priority. I hope this business is reopened safely and responsibly, ”O’Shea wrote in an email to his constituents.
Over the weekend, the city conducted a total of 55 complaint investigations regarding Phase 4 reopening requirements, and surveyed various entertainment districts, including Wrigleyville during the opening of the Cubs’ home on Friday. . In total, the city issued 11 citations to five companies for not following the reopening guidelines.
Cork & Kerry is the third business closed by the city for violating reopening guidelines. Two weeks ago, the city closed Wise Owl Drinkery & Cookhouse in West Loop violating capacity limits, failing to maintain social detachment, not requiring customers to wear masks, and serving customers who were not seated as required by reopening guidelines. Phase 4. Over the weekend of July 4, the city also shutdown the Chicago Lakefront Cruises boat tour operator for allowing nearly 100 people to crowd the upper deck of one of its ships.
Since then, Chicago Lakefront Cruises has reopened, and Wise Owl is still working with the city to finalize its safe reopening plan.
Since the city entered Phase 3 reopening on June 3, the city has received 1,877 reopening complaints, conducted 784 investigations, issued 130 warnings or notices to correct, cited 48 businesses, and ordered the closure of three businesses.
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