Proposed Rule Would Require Nashville Restaurants And Places Serving Alcohol To Close By 10 p.m.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper said Tuesday his administration will draft a new ordinance that will require restaurants to close earlier.

In a press conference, Cooper said his decision is a result of evidence that many in the city are not following social-distancing protocols.

He pointed to recent videos circulated on social media that show crowded sidewalks outside the honky-tonks on Broadway.

“Clearly, more must be done to prevent individuals —particularly those who are not invested in the long-term safety of our community or the success of our local economy— from violating our public health orders,” Cooper said.

The mayor added that that behavior puts at risk the lives of many in the city.

Cooper has tasked Metro Public Health Board and Metro’s legal department to craft a new order that directs restaurants and other locations that serve alcohol in Davidson County to close by 10 p.m.

The ordinance is expected to be effective by 10 p.m. Friday.

He told reporters the order is meant to allow businesses to operate responsibly while discouraging people who are rejecting social-distancing guidelines.

“A city that can’t reopen schools smoothly is a city that can’t be back to normal,” Cooper said.  “If we have to tell 100,000 children to stay home, we can tell public facilities to close early.”

He also said requiring people to wear masks in public spaces and restaurant is in the best interest of business owners.

But, Metro Nashville Police Department has yet to issue a single citation.

Cooper said it’s not the responsibility of the city to “catch” people. Instead, he said the requirement is meant to help people understand that the use of face masks can reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

“We cannot cite our way out of this disease, we just can’t do it,” Cooper said. “Now, we can try to be fair and we can point out to people, but primarily this is about education.”