NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – On the same day that the Florida Department of Health reported a record-high number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Pete’s Bar in Neptune Beach announced that it is closing up voluntarily due to the pandemic.
The bar posted on its Facebook page:
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“Running a bar in this ever evolving landscape has presented some unique challenges. Unfortunately, as the case count climbs so does the risk of transmission. In order to get ahead of this, we are going to voluntarily close our doors until we can implement all of the latest recommendations.
“These new policies and procedures are designed to protect our customers and employees. This decision stems from our ethical prerogative to prevent the spread of Covid-19. We look forward to reopening as soon and as safely as possible.”
The decision was likely not an easy one for the well-known staple of the Neptune Beach community. In May, Tom Whittingslow, the bar’s co-owner, made a plea to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asking him for permission to reopen.
Bars were only recently permitted to reopen at 50% capacity in Florida as the state moved into Phase 2 of economic recovery, which is when Pete’s Bar finally reopened.
Just weeks later, it’s closed again, and it’s unclear when it will be serving customers.
Several other restaurants and bars in the beaches area have closed up for cleaning as well. In some cases it’s a precaution, although some spots said they made the decision to close after they reported staff members or customers testing positive for the coronavirus.
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