Bunnell mayor sends plea to governor in support of reopening bars

Bar patron (Pexels)

BUNNELL, Fla. – Bunnell’s mayor sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis this weekend on behalf of local businesses, asking that those still ordered to remain closed under the pandemic lockdown be allowed to open.

Bar owners across the state have expressed frustration that they must remain shuttered while restaurants have been permitted to reopen at 50% capacity.

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Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry last week also voiced his desire to have bars reopen in short order.

Bunnell Mayor Catherin D. Robinson spoke on behalf of businesses in her city, sending a letter to DeSantis asking him to allow bars to reopen.

She deferred to the state and the experts guiding the governor’s decisions but pointed out that bar owners are willing to abide by any distancing and safety guidelines needed to protect employees and customers.

READ: Bunnell mayor’s letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis

Bars were ordered to shut their doors as part of DeSantis’ stay-at-home order issued in March as Florida moved to limit large gatherings in confined spaces to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Even as the state begins to reopen some businesses, bars are not scheduled to reopen until phase two of DeSantis’ reopening plan. It’s unclear when the next phase will begin.

Bars that get more than 50% of their revenue from liquor sales are not permitted to reopen under phase one of the plan.

Those that serve enough food qualify as “restaurant establishments” and have been allowed to reopen to the 50% capacity.


About the Author:

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.