RI Bars, Restaurants Warned Of Shutdowns For Violations

PROVIDENCE, RI — Gov. Gina Raimondo issued what she called "almost like a last warning" to Rhode Island taverns and restaurants with bars as she pledged much tougher enforcement for those establishments violating the state's coronavirus reopening guidelines on Wednesday.

On the day she said she is keeping the state in phase 3 of its reopening — and reducing social gathering limits from 25 to 15 at private gatherings — she said non-compliance remains a problem for some bars and restaurants when it comes to how they can serve alcohol.

"We've been in phase 3 for a month and there is no excuse anymore for not complying," Raimondo said during her Wednesday news conference. "The first week or two, you had to learn the rules, folks really weren't sure how to do it, and we understood that. We've been at it for a month now. We've seen too many problems with overcrowding at bars, so we're really going to start to increase our enforcement."

Raimondo said last week she would consider taking action to further restrict bar service or capacity if weekend inspections revealed more violations. The state on Wednesday announced that 10 bars or restaurants had been issued compliance orders over the weekend by the state Department of Health for violations — including those that were repeat inspection offenders.

"Quite frankly, it's not fair to the vast majority of restaurants who are following the rules," she said. "So the grace period is over and we're going to start getting tougher with enforcement. If you're not following the rules we’re going to shut you down, period. We have to.

"We're going to work with you so that you can safely reopen — get things in order so you can reopen, because we want you to be in business. But we can no longer take any risks. The excuse of 'I haven't figured it out yet' is no longer going to be any good because we've been at it a month."

Raimondo said the biggest problems are in restaurants that have a bar and are allowing crowding around the bar. Under the state guidelines, traditional pubs can also open as "restaurants" but may only serve drinks via wait staff to those seated at tables that are socially distanced, or have Plexiglas or some other former of barrier between them.

"If you are in a line for drinks, you shouldn't be, that shouldn't be allowed,” Raimondo said. "Any crowding is where you get sick. It's not where you should be."

She reiterated that in phase 3 "bars should not look like bars" and that if there is a bartender, there is no seating allowed at the bar. If the bar is used for seating, there cannot be a bartender stationed behind the bar due to social distancing rules unless there is a barrier between the seating and the bar.

"Under no circumstances — period, no exceptions," she said, "can you have standing service. Someone has to deliver a drink to someone who is seated. This is what we're really going to crack down on.

"It's a bright-line rule. You can't do it."

She said additional inspectors will be added to look for "bad actors" and encouraged those who see violations to notify the state at 401-889-5550.

She said more than 150 bars or restaurants with bars were inspected last week and more than 50 of them had some sort of violation.

"There's just no excuse for that," she said.

She said after last week's threats her office received many calls saying, "Gov, please don't shut us down. We're following the rules."

She said the intent is not to shut down establishments because she wants as many people employed as possible.

"Help us get your colleagues to follow the rules," she said. "If it doesn't get better, I'll have no choice. … and just cut back.

"I would consider this almost like a last warning. We're going to do our part. We're going to increase enforcement. We're going to shut down operations that are not even trying to comply. I am asking the people of Rhode Island to do your part."

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