Gov. John Bel Edwards Orders Bars in Louisiana Closed For at Least Another Three Weeks

Bars in Louisiana will remain closed for on-premise consumption for at least another three weeks, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday afternoon. It is the second extension of his current executive order, originally set to expire July 24 and then extended until August 7.

The phase 2 guidelines mandating masks and closing bars will remain in place through at least August 28. The governor’s order allows bars with and without food permits to offer curbside service; however, New Orleans bars and restaurants remain prohibited from selling takeout alcohol (and in the case of bars, prohibited from selling takeout food as well). Capacity limits of 50 percent for restaurants and casinos remain in place, despite a White House task force recommendation last month that Louisiana slash indoor seating capacity by 25 percent.

Four bars in the state, including two in neighboring Jefferson Parish, have been shut down for violating Gov. Edwards’s ban on selling drinks for on-premise consumption. The state will hold hearings this week to review the suspended liquor licenses of Sand Dollar Tiki Bar in Grand Isle, Wo-de’s Chill Spot in Harvey, Frosty Factory in Lake Charles and Pelican Pub in Gonzales.

There is currently no tentative end date to New Orleans’s ban on takeout alcohol sales, with Mayor LaToya Cantrell saying only last month that new restrictions would remain in place “until we move into a position of better health in the City of New Orleans.”

Eater is tracking the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the city’s restaurant industry. Have a story to share? Reach out at nola@eater.com.

• Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards Closes Bars, Makes Face Masks Mandatory [ENOLA]
• Bars in Louisiana to Remain Closed Until at Least August 7 [ENOLA]
• New Orleans Mayor Prohibits Restaurants and Bars from Selling Takeout Alcohol [ENOLA]