NEW ORLEANS – 2021 is right around the corner, along with the Allstate Sugar Bowl – A major event that normally brings the city millions of dollars in revenue, especially for the hospitality industry. This coming year could be different after Mayor Cantrell told residents to ’Prepare for possible bars in Breweries to close next week as COVID-19 continues to spread at a dangerous rate’. Bar owners say these restrictions could kill their businesses for good.
“It cannot continue to survive and I don’t know very many people that can,” Dmac’s Bar and Grill owner David McGee said. “Our rent continues to go on. I got another source of income that I’ve had to use to keep this place alive.”
McGee feels the mayor is being unfair – he believes the City is targeting small businesses.
“When I look around at the Home Depot’s and the big-box stores and quite frankly, these places are absolutely packed, McGee explained. “Many of them made record incomes this year and yet we sit here and quite frankly just limp through it.”
Another local bar owner, John Latour expressed the same frustration.
“We’ve been doing everything we possibly can as far as providing masks, sanitation and social distancing,” said Latour. “Everything that’s been stipulated we are following so it’s a little disheartening I guess to hear that things are going backwards.”
“Bars and restaurants are not the source of these spikes and for a city that’s built on live music and food, I think it’s devastating and I’m not sure exactly when or how it’s gonna end but it’s got to change,” McGee said.