ORLANDO, Fla. – Bars are open in Florida for the first full weekend in months.
Ryan Davis owns Kevin O’Ryan’s The Other Bar on Wall Street and Stagger Inn. He said he’s excited to be back in business.
“Everybody needs to do the right thing. Wear the mask. Have fun. Be kind,” said Davis. “It’s weird times, but it’s a step in the right direction so, it’s exciting for us.”
[TRENDING: ‘God, forgive me:’ Mom arrested on murder charge | Trump pushes for 2nd round of $1,200 direct payments | Daylight Saving Time debate]
Davis said along with opening at 50 percent capacity, people will be required to wear masks, undergo temperature checks, and only be served while sitting down, per the state order.
“You don’t get served unless you are seated. You can go to the bar with a mask on, give an order, but we are not going to give it to you until you go sit back down at your seat,” said Davis.
Orange County said on Friday the Strike Team is relying on state inspections with the Department of Business and Professional Regulations to inspect the bars. The county said their inspectors have been busy visiting roughly 65-70 other types of businesses a day.
“On the weekends we are targeting certain stretches of the area looking for those areas that look like there is some activity occurring that may be out of the ordinary with large gatherings,” said Tim Boldig with Orange County.
Secretary Halsey Beshears with DBPR has said that one of the state’s biggest concerns is people, not social distancing inside of bars and overcrowding.