Gov. Andrew Cuomo has a new warning for bars in the state that fail to enforce social distancing, crowd limits and other rules as they begin to open back up for business.
The State Liquor Authority will now be able to pull a bar’s liquor license and shut it down immediately if it’s found in violation of the rules meant to curb the coronavirus, Cuomo said in a new executive order issued today. He also extended a bar owner’s responsibility for enforcing the rules to outdoor areas.
Until now the state, along with local enforcement agencies, has issued warnings to bars found in violation. If the violations continue, the SLA has brought charges and presented them to the SLA board, which then orders the suspension. That process can take a week or more.
So far, the SLA board has suspended the licenses of 18 establishments across the state, eight of them in Upstate New York. All were found in violation of Cuomo’s original March 16 executive order that prohibited on-premises drinking and dining. The last suspension for that order came on May 29.
The only bar in Central New York to lose its license so far is Old Timers Inn at 2018 County Route 1 in Scriba, Oswego County. It remains closed.
In recent weeks, as many regions of the state have started to reopen, bars can allow up to 50% of their capacity inside, as long as groups are at least six feet apart. Servers must wear masks and customers must wear masks except while seated.
Cuomo has complained about images he’s seen of bars, particularly in New York City and Long Island, that appear not to be enforcing the rules. He said there have been thousands of complaints forwarded to the SLA.
A State Liquor Authority spokesman said earlier this week that 55 additional bars have been charged since the last suspension. None of those cases had yet been resolved with suspensions or dropping the charges.
In interviews with syracuse.com, many bar owners have said they are wary of opening back up if they are required to act as “police” to enforce the rules.
“Going out to a bar is a social exercise — that’s just what it is,” said Dave Ouderkirk at Al’s Wine & Whiskey in Armory Square. “I don’t want to have to go up to people having a nice time out and say, ‘Hey you can’t talk to that person!’ There’s got to be a way we can get back to business and make it the social experience it’s meant to be.”
In a Facebook post this week, Al’s said it hopes to reopen “when we can provide the level of service and relaxing atmosphere our guests have always appreciated."
MORE ON BARS
Cuomo’s threat to bars: 18 licenses have already been yanked
Barkeepers’s dilemma: How do I run my place if I have to keep people six feet apart?
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
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