MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — The Tavern League of Wisconsin is calling on Governor Tony Evers to allow bars and restaurants in the state to start to slowly reopen starting on May 1st–with some new policies in place.
“We could cut our occupancy in half and require out employees to wear masks and gloves, add social distancing of six feet,” says Tavern League Spokesman Scott Stenger. “It’s working in other business environments.”
But the governor says it’s not quite the right time to open things up just yet.
“It’ll be discussed, but at the end of the day May 1st, I feel relatively confident that would be a tough row to hoe. We look forward to the day of making that happen,” Evers told WTAQ News during a Monday media briefing, “We are following the White House’s guidance, and there is a phase in which bars and restaurants are specifically identified. We aren’t even to phase one.”
The governor announced the Badger Bounce Back Plan on Monday.
“Phase One will make it possible for restaurants to open while implementing physical distancing. Phase Two will turn the dial further with gathering up to fifty and the opening of bars with physical distancing,” said Department of Health Services Secretary Designee Andrea Palm.
Without reopening or any sort of state assistance, such as a bridge grant, the Tavern League says ‘thousands’ of small businesses could close by the time Governor Evers’ extension of the ‘Safer at Home’ order end on May 26th.
“Without it, we’re going to see–not just in Wisconsin, but around the country, a massive, massive loss of small businesses because they just can’t pay the bills,” Stenger told WTAQ.
Stenger says if businesses like big box stores can stay open with social distancing in place, so can the hospitality industry.
“Can we find an opportunity here to help these small businesses that is safe and responsible and make sure they don’t go out of business?” asked Stenger.
“There’s no timeline, clearly if we could do it tomorrow, we’d do it tomorrow. But that isn’t the case,” Evers said, “The virus has never given us a timeline, but what we do know if we do the things we’ve planned and are embarking on here – we’ll get there sooner.”
The Tavern League said Friday that up to 10% of businesses could be forced to close their doors by the end of April, and even more may have to do so by the end of May.
