On Monday, Nashville will allow bars to start serving customers again with a cap of 25 customers at a time, though bar counters will still be closed. The loosening of current restrictions comes as the city has seen a decrease and stabilization of new coronavirus cases.
Mayor John Cooper says small businesses need some help to stay afloat, and he says the restricted environment could be a safer option than more informal gatherings occurring now.
“We are hopeful that under the strict supervision of a well-managed, adhering, limited-service restaurant or a bar, that that is better than people going to a backyard,” Cooper says.
The restrictions also require everyone to have a seat, and if patrons stand up, they must put on their mask. Cooper says the Metro Health Department will be policing compliance and a bar’s license to operate could be in jeopardy for repeated violations.
The revised rules will also allow restaurants to stay open 30 minutes later, until 10:30 p.m., with the thinking being that they would have enough time for one extra seating.
Nashville allowed bars to resume service early in its reopening plan but backtracked in early July after several clusters of positive cases were traced back to drinking establishments. Only one bar refused to shut down, but a court later intervened to force it to do so.
However, in recent weeks, local bar owners have been speaking out about the unfairness of allowing restaurants that serve alcohol to operate, without also having a plan to let bars reopen.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM