A shocking video has emerged showing patrons drinking inside a Long Island bar over the weekend, appearing to ignore all social distancing...
A shocking video has emerged showing patrons drinking inside a Long Island bar over the weekend, appearing to ignore all social distancing rules amid coronavirus lockdowns.
The owners of the Dublin Deck Tiki Bar and Grill in Patchogue were forced to apologize after footage showed the venue packed full of people on Friday. Suffolk County police responded but no summonses were issued.
'Everybody decided to run inside out of the rain and they overwhelmed us. It was that simple. It has never happened before and it will never happen again', co-owner Frank Mills told Newsday.
Meanwhile, Memorial Day weekend got off to a rainy start in New York City, but that wasn't enough to keep stir-crazy residents inside.
Dozens of people were seen congregating outside bars and restaurants in the Big Apple on Saturday to kick off the three-day weekend as many grow increasingly weary of isolating inside their homes.
Public drinking is strictly prohibited in the state and offenders can be slapped with fines, but the pandemic has sparked a defiance among many residents who - unable to sit inside their favorite watering holes - are setting up shop on sidewalks.
More restaurants and bars have started reopening with takeout beers and cocktails in recent weeks as a way to keep the lights on as New York City has not yet met all the requirements necessary for a safe reopening of non-essential businesses.
The city has recorded more than 195,000 coronavirus cases and an estimated 21,216 deaths to date, but numbers have been steadily declining as the weather warms up.
The owners of the Dublin Deck Tiki Bar and Grill in Patchogue were forced to apologize after footage showed the venue packed full of people on Friday; Suffolk County police responded but no summonses were issued
'Everybody decided to run inside out of the rain and they overwhelmed us. It was that simple. It has never happened before and it will never happen again', the bar's co-owner Frank Mills said
Drinkers are seen outside Elio's Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side as stir-crazy New Yorkers braved cloudy, rainy weather at the start of Memorial Day weekend
Patrons pushed down their masks as they enjoyed drinks with friends on the sidewalk outside LOULOU in Chelsea
In Long Island - where bars and restaurants remain takeout only - footage emerged of the Dublin Deck Tiki Bar and Grill on Friday.
Crowds stand close to one another, without masks, and appear to drink inside the establishment.
Apologizing on their Facebook page, the bar owners wrote: 'We apologize to anyone who may have been offended by the videos that surfaced. We assure you it was not intended and will not happen again.
'We are looking forward to being able to allow guests to take their 'to-go' orders to a table on-site to enjoy while still practicing social distancing. But until that time we will remain 'to-go' only and do our best to ensure that our guests follow stricter guidelines and do not gather.'
Co-owner Frank Mills added: 'Everybody hunkered down. We did what we were supposed to do.'
Suffolk County police said in a statement: 'We are taking reports of noncompliance very seriously and is following up throughout this weekend with Dublin Deck, other locations in Patchogue and other downtowns in our jurisdiction.
'As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, the department asks for continued cooperation from Suffolk County businesses and residents, and asks people to adhere to the guidelines outlined by New York State.'
Some appeared to be ignoring social distancing guidelines as they congregated in front of bars open for takeout service
The party continued after sundown at some bars like Benson's NYC in Lower Manhattan (pictured)
Patrons shotgun beers outside Benson's NYC, where a constant queue was seen throughout the day on Saturday
A group of people sip cocktails and beers outside Augurs Well on St Marks Place in the East Village
For some New Yorkers the global health crisis seemed to be a distant memory while they enjoyed a drink with friends outside bars amid cloudy, rainy weather on Saturday.
Photos showed people with their state-mandated masks pushed down around their necks as they sipped beverages from plastic cups outside popular haunts like Elio's Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side, Jasper's Taphouse in Hell's Kitchen and LOULOU in Chelsea.
Some groups appeared to be ignoring social distancing guidelines as they huddled together, never straying too far from the takeout table for easy access to refills.
The party continued after sundown as constant queues were seen outside bars like Benson's NYC in Lower Manhattan.
A masked bartender pours cocktails at the edge of Anejo Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen
Staff at Fiddlesticks Pub & Grill in Greenwich Village set up tables selling batch cocktails for patrons to take home
A substantial crowd was photographed outside Elio's on Friday afternoon
A steady stream of people stopped by Jasper's Taphouse on Saturday, many of them staying close to get refills
Friends toast small cups of cocktails as they shelter from the rain outside Jasper's on Saturday
Friends chat and drink on the sidewalk outside Empellon Al Pastor in Midtown on Saturday evening
A few parents brought their children with them to meet friends outside bars like Benson's (pictured)
Many food and drink establishments that shuttered when the outbreak ramped up across the state and when the stay-at-home order was issued are now reopening for takeout service, as the lockdown rumbles on and they seek new ways to keep their businesses afloat.
The restaurant and bar industry has been hardest hit by the pandemic, with stark data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and collated by the National Restaurant Association revealing that a staggering six million restaurant workers have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
Three decades of restaurant jobs have been lost in two months and industry employment has fallen to its lowest level since 1989.
In New York City alone, lockdown has thrown the jobs of more than 150,000 people working in restaurants and bars into jeopardy.
Experts have predicted that one in four restaurants will go out of business as a result of the weeks-long lockdown measures put in place by the majority of US states to stop the spread of COVID-19.
New York restaurants and bars were first shuttered more than nine weeks ago on March 16, with the exception of staying open for takeout service.
As the weather warms up more businesses are reopening for takeout as they wait for Governor Andrew Cuomo to allow dine-in service to resume.
A crowd remained outside Benson's well after the sun went down and the temperature dropped
A man is seen holding takeout pizzas and sipping a beer as he chats with friends outside Benson's
New York City is expected to remain closed at least until mid-June, while officials caution that a true reopening could not happen until the fall.
At his news briefing on Saturday, Cuomo discussed his decision to allow up to 10 people to attend ceremonies honoring America's military veterans on Memorial Day, warning that social distancing and face masks should be part of any plans to get together.
'It depends on how people act. You can have a safe gathering of 10 people. You can also have a wholly unsafe gathering of 10 people,' Cuomo said.
While New Yorkers brave the ongoing lockdown, residents in other states are enjoying newfound freedom as more and more restrictions are rolled back.
Crowds gathered on the boardwalk of Brooklyn, Coney Island on Sunday, with many not wearing mask and not social distancing. People can be seen touching and talking within feet of each other
Hundreds stroll across the boardwalk at Coney Island beach on the Memorial Day weekend
A woman with a Stars and Stripes placed in the sand before her sits on the sand as beaches remained closed for swimming at Coney Island on Sunday
People are seen at Coney Island beach on Sunday - New York has been the worst affected US state by a long shot and the populace were less keen to head out than some of their compatriots across the US on Memorial Day Weekend
A group of youngsters riding their bikes over Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn on Sunday as the summer got into swing amid the coronavirus pandemic
A young man wearing a protective face mask rides his bicycle along a busy Coney Island boardwalk during the current coronavirus outbreak on Sunday. No swimming was allowed and social distancing reminders were abundant on the beach
A man holding a pink parasol smiles in Sheep Meadow, Central Park on Sunday, as New Yorkers headed out to celebrate the summer
Though the Memorial Day holiday isn't until Monday, the weekend leading up to it marks the unofficial start of summer, with Americans traditionally flocking to beaches, gathering at backyard barbecues and unfurling picnic blankets in parks.
Among those soaking in the sun and enjoying a bit of travel on Saturday was President Donald Trump, who was seen golfing at his Trump National club in northern Virginia, his first golf outing since the White House declared a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak in March.
Trump has been eager to promote the idea that the United States is returning to normal.
But ahead of the holiday weekend public health officials expressed concern that large gatherings could cause outbreaks to come roaring back.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people stay home, avoid crowds and connect with family and friends by phone or video chat.
Beachgoers relax in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of Americans nationwide emerged from quarantine to enjoy the sun during Memorial Day weekend
The beaches are open for business again during the coronavirus epidemic. Beachgoers are seen above in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday
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