Governor Andrew Cuomo has hit more than 130 New York restaurants and bars with liquor violations in a widespread crackdown to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Cuomo expressed anger at the recklessness developing in bars across the state, noting an increase in the rate of coronavirus infection among young people between the ages of 21 and 30.
On Friday, the State Liquor Authority issued 52 violations, 53 on Saturday and 27 on Sunday to restaurants and bars that violated social distancing and face mask mandates.
Over the weekend, 10 stores had their liquor licenses completely suspended.
Some bars saw slaps on the wrist for failing to provide ‘substantial food’ along with alcohol orders, according to new guidance from the State Liquor Authority.
In nearby New Jersey, an open-air bar was forced to close for two days after an employee tested positive for coronavirus, the day after the business was full of customers who were not wearing masks and practicing social distancing.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced more than 130 liquor license violations and 10 suspensions over the weekend, most in New York. “Sunday is a calmer night, but even Sunday 27 more rapes,” he said.
‘I want establishments to know that we will continue to diligently apply the law. That’s what it is – it’s enforcing the law, ” Cuomo said at his coronavirus press conference Monday.
“Sunday is a calmer night, but even Sunday 27 more rapes,” he said.
He added that most of the rapes were based in New York City and all the appointments on Sunday were from the five boroughs of the city.
In state inspections if a bar or restaurant receives three infractions, their liquor license will be suspended.
‘Three rapes and you lose it. Three hits and you’re out, ‘Cuomo said.
He said that since the start of the pandemic, 40 restaurants and pubs have suspended their liquor licenses.
On Friday, the State Liquor Authority issued 52 violations, 53 on Saturday and 27 on Sunday to restaurants and bars that violated social distancing and face mask mandates. A view of patrons with masks at a restaurant in Koreatown the previous Sunday, as New York continues with Phase 4 of reopening
Over the weekend, 10 stores had their liquor licenses completely suspended. A view of customers in our New York restaurant above
Customers pictured eating at Roberta’s pizzeria in New York City above
Alfresco dinner at the Lola Taverna restaurant in the Soho neighborhood of New York on Sunday, July 12 in the photo above
‘I want establishments to know that we will continue to diligently apply the law, that is what it is, is to enforce the law. I understand their position that this closure has been very hard for them, I understand it, I appreciate it, I respect it, I sympathize with their situation, ” he said.
“But we also have to protect public health and we achieve nothing if we have to reverse some rules and regulations on bars and restaurants,” he added.
The governor also said that establishments can only serve alcohol with “substantial food,” meaning that light dishes of chips, prtezels, or peanuts are not enough.
The new SLA guide says that “a tavern license requires a minimum of food in soups, sandwiches, and the like.”
‘Most of the bars and restaurants have been great, they really have been great. It’s always the same: It’s a handful of bad actors who ruin it for everyone, and it’s the bad actors who end up hurting the good guys, ” Cuomo said Monday.
On Sunday, The Captain’s Inn outdoor bar in Forked River, New Jersey, announced it will close for two days after a staff member tested positive for the virus. The infection came after the bar was full of customers, many of them without masks, on Saturday (above)
A view of the bustling bar on Saturday in the photo above
A view of the front of Captain’s Inn on Forked River above
On Sunday, the restaurant announced on their Instagram account that they will be closed for two days for a deep cleaning
As of Monday, there are more than 412,000 cases of the virus in New York State and there have been more than 25,000 deaths.
On Friday, Cuomo criticized young people in the state after people between the ages of 21 and 30 accounted for an increasing share of new cases in the past two weeks.
‘For young people: this is not the time to fight for your right to party. I respect your right to party, I fully respect it. I want to enshrine it in state law, if you want to know. You have a right to the party, but let’s be smart about it, ‘Cuomo said Friday.
He said the numbers in his demographic have increased because they socialize and ignore social distancing and mask-wearing measures.
Open bars have been a problem that has contributed to the spread of the virus in many states.
A Jersey Shore tiki bar was closed Sunday when one of its workers tested positive for coronavirus, just a day after the business was full of unmasked customers.
Captain’s Inn’s outdoor bar in Forked River, NJ, was packed with hordes of people on Saturday afternoon.
The video from the bustling bar showed a few dozen patrons drinking close to each other and not wearing masks on the hot summer day.
The crowd violated New Jersey law requiring customers to stay six feet away in areas with no assigned seating.
A woman who works for The Captain’s Inn told the New York Post that the bar has gorillas to keep the bar below the state limit, but admitted that it was difficult to control the crowd.
‘It is very difficult if they stay or do not move. We do the best we can, “he said.
On Sunday, the bar posted on its Instagram page that they would shut down for two days for a deep cleanup after a staff member tested positive “due to outside influence.”
“For the safety of our staff and clients, we will be temporarily closed to professionally disinfect and disinfect our property,” the bar said.
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