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July 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin
New York bars and restaurants can no longer serve customers alcohol if they don’t purchase food, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday.
The new rule was one of multiple Cuomo introduced yesterday that aim to crack down on bars and restaurants where social distancing violations have been common.
Another new rule is that walk-up bar service is not longer permitted. Establishments must have seats at every table or bartop to prevent patrons from standing around and lingering with less than six feet between them, he said.
The governor said that when outdoor dining reopened in New York City on June 22, it was meant to be for sit-down dining only. Open air bars was not part of that plan.
“If you’re not eating a meal and you’re just drinking, then it’s just an outdoor bar and people are mingling and they’re not isolated,” Cuomo said. “And that’s what we’re seeing.”
Outdoor dining at a seated table limits people’s exposure to just those within their party, he added.
Cuomo also announced a ‘Three Strikes and You’re Closed’ initiative in which any establishment that receives three violations will be closed down. The initiative is specific only to New York City, where Cuomo said compliance to coronavirus prevention rules has been low.
“The State itself has looked at over 5,000 establishments in downstate New York and found many cases of a failure to comply,” he said. “It’s wrong. It’s dangerous. It’s selfish. It’s unacceptable.”
The State Liquor Authority (SLA), as well as local governments, will enforce the requirements, which go into effect Friday. The SLA will also post establishments in violation online for the public to see.
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8 Comments
Haha so what they think it’s gonna happen. Bars will start selling a potato chip for 10cents and adding drinks to it
Actually ice is considered food. Lemons limes ect. This will act as a loophole
The first place they should close is legends bar. They overserve customers until they get violently sick. Im so tired of walking by there and guys are intoxicated and abusive. When i complained to the local pct the police stopped it for a while but it happens again and again. They dont serve food either. The kitchen has been closed for over a year .
I’ve seen people leaving this bar at 530am and bother people going to work
The two owners know and they dont care. This is only store on the block that cause trouble.
This bar has been a problem for the last few years. Intoxicated customers and violence. No good place.
I agree
Very dangerous