SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo is sending inspectors from the New York State Liquor Authority to the restaurants and bars with complaints of not following reopening guidelines. Anyone violating will have their liquor license suspended. While there’s no word if any are coming to Syracuse, restaurants here aren’t taking any chances.
Alejandro Gonzalez is the owner of Margaritas Mexican Cantina in downtown Syracuse, a restaurant that’s implemented reopening guidelines.
“In the restaurant, all the tables are more than six feet apart. Outside all of our outdoor seating is well far apart, more than six feet. And we’ve been using masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing all the tables and everything, ” said Gonzalez.
He said he’ll continue to follow the guidelines because losing his liquor license is not an option.
“There’s no way we could stay open. It would mean failure,” said Gonzalez.
According to the manager of the New York State Liquor Consulting Group, Brett Haas, some other restaurant owners don’t quite understand the guidelines like Gonzalez does.
“People are just confused, you know. And so some people as much as they might not want to be violating…they are,” said Haas.
Haas says lately he’s been receiving calls with questions about certain guidelines.
“The basic things… you know, it says 50 percent capacity. ‘Well my capacity is 100. Does that mean I can only have 50 people in my bar?’ Uh, yeah,” said Haas.
Haas said a liquor license suspension can be the end of a restaurant and bar completely.
“You’re done,” said Haas.
Some of the guidelines for restaurants and bars set out by the New York State Department of Health are:
- Six feet between customers
- A maximum of 10 individuals per table
- Clearly signal six foot spacing in lines
- Encourage customers to place remote orders online or by phone
- All employees and customers must wear face coverings at all times, except while seated
