FORT MYERS, Fla. — It's the long-awaited news that bars owners across Florida have been hoping for — bars will be allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity, starting Monday.
The announcement comes following a roundtable discussion with Governor Ron DeSantis, Secretary Halsey Beshears from the department of business and professional regulation, and several restaurant operators in Fort Myers Thursday.
Governor DeSantis held the roundtable discussion at Conners Steak and Seafood, where he heard from restauranteurs who say they are ready for the hospitality industry to move forward.
"We're not where we want to be with the restaurants; we want to continue to make progress," said DeSantis. "My goal is that every Floridian should be able to go to work; every business should be able to operate."
The biggest request coming from restaurant operators at the meeting was increasing restaurant capacity beyond 50 percent.
One of those restaurant operators was Jay Johnson, owner of Bubba's Roadhouse and Saloon in Cape Coral.
"I think that's the next logical step, is increasing capacity, and also to take a look at the six-foot rule that we're under," said Jay Johnson. "So that we're able to bring all of our employees back and put them back to full time."
Desantis agreed with increasing the capacity, saying he doesn't believe reopening restaurants is a major source for the spread of the virus.
"The places that closed restaurants versus didn't, there was no difference. You know, obviously, you can get infected in a restaurant just like you can get infected if you're around anywhere," said DeSantis.
During Thursday's meeting, Desantis also said he wants to make permanent an executive order that has allowed restaurants to sell alcoholic beverages to-go during the pandemic.
"I'm going to keep that in place for as long as the emergency order is in place, but when that emergency order is lifted, then it'll go back to status quo, but I do think that it's been successful and I would encourage legislature to make that permanent," said DeSantis.
As of Monday, September 14, bars in Florida can reopen at 50-percent capacity.
Florida's top business regulator Halsey Beshears announced on social media on Thursday evening that the state is rescinding Executive Order 20-09.
The executive order, issued earlier in the summer, forced standalone bars and breweries to shut down.
Here's what we know, according to Beshears' announcement:
- Bars can reopen Monday, September 14
- Bars may operate at 50 percent indoor capacity
- Bars are allowed to seat patrons and have outdoor seating with social distancing.
During Thursday's roundtable discussion, DeSantis did not give an exact date on when restaurants would be given the green light to increase capacity, instead said "soon."
