NY governor Cuomo attacks the restaurant and bar industry! no more drinking in bars unless you order food! 3 strikes you our business gets shut!

we flatten the curve and we met our 7 metrics and we can't enter phase 4
to go back to normal

they are using covid to attack small business

[link to www.amny.com (secure)]


According to Cuomo, there have been issues with compliance issues in New York City, as well as other areas downstate, particularly with bars and restaurants not adhering to social distancing guidelines or outdoor dining instructions.

Due to these issues of noncompliance, the state is enacting a “three strikes” rule in New York City that if a restaurant is hit with three failing to comply with COVID-19 measures violations, the establishment will be closed down. Restaurants and bars that have received disciplinary action will be posted online.

“There is significant evidence of failure to comply,” said Cuomo. “It’s wrong, it’s dangerous, it’s selfish, and it’s illegal.”

Throughout the state, it will also be mandated that outdoor dining establishments cannot sell alcohol to patrons that are not ordering food. Walk-up bar service will also be banned. According to Cuomo, both of these actions do not support social distancing and will lead to more mingling between customers.

“Outdoor dining, if they think that meant an outdoor bar, they’re wrong. and that’s the exact behavior that we’re seeing across the nation that’s causing an increase in the virus. So that was never authorized in the first place. Takeout drinks were authorized, but the takeout drinks were you could purchase the container and then the container law, and you can go home and drink it. but there was never an authorization of outside congregant drinking. That was never authorized,” said Cuomo in a later conference.

“Prohibiting people seated at a table from having a beer on a hot summer day unless they order food is counterproductive. People will simply gravitate to stoops, streets and parks with open containers creating less safe conditions elsewhere,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. “Businesses need to be responsible for the activity on their property, but staff certainly can’t be deputized to police the streets. It jeopardizes workers’ safety and subjects businesses to incredible liabilities for behaviors out of their control.”

Should New York City enter Phase 4 of reopening on July 20, Cuomo says that no additional indoor activity will be allowed, meaning indoor cultural institutions will be closed for the time being.