Are Bars Playing Tricks with Their Licenses?

Dean Barrow

Admittedly, the PM says that the situation involving bars is rather tricky since a majority of these establishments operate under a public and a special license, which allows them to vend alcoholic beverages on the premises.  In most cases, given the current restrictions, these business owners have taken to providing finger food as a way of circumventing the regulations which include a limit of only ten patrons.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Dr. Manzanero complained that we need to close bars, but in fact under the current SI we have closed bars. What is happening though is that those establishments that have public and special licenses permit them to sell liquor to be consumed on the premises once food is served..  They masquerade as restaurants, you go in and you will find that they put two bowls of peanuts or a tin of Vienna sausage or something in front of the drinkers and then the carousing goes on uninhibited and they do not observe the ten occupant per facility rule.  We wanted to get particularly at them but they will try to hoodwink you a million ways from Sunday, as I said, by claiming well, but I am not just a bar, I am a bar and restaurant.  Bottom line and especially because the survey we did suggested that most restaurants are now in fact understanding that patronage is way down from the time the surges or the spike started and so we believe that it is not too draconian that we go back to a situation where they operate only on this takeout, drive thru or delivery basis.”

As it relates to the popular tacos, persons purchasing fast food such as tacos are particularly warned not to consume their food inside buses and other public transportation because of the chances of spreading the virus in enclosed spaces. Taco vendors will have to find space to set up their stands because they can’t do it near the street side.