Bar owner in Downtown Stuart says near order to stop drinking inside is not fair

Bars in Florida are now prohibited from allowing customers to drink inside after the Department of Business and Professional Regulation issued an order, citing a spike in COVID-19 cases as the reason.

TO SHUT DOWN ..*AGAIN.

JUSTWEEKS SINCE RE- OPENING.

NEWAT 11.

TREASURE COAST REPORTERDEREK LOWE IS SPEAKING WITHFRUSTRATED BAR OWNERS ..

NOWFORCED TO BAN DRINKINGON-SITE.<< LL: A MANAGER HERE AT THEVINE AND BARLEY BAR INDOWNTOWN STUART IS WORRIED THATCUSTOMERS INSTEAD OF ORDERINGBEERS TO GO, WILL SIMPLY WALKACROSS THE STREET TO ANOTHERRESTAURANT TO BE ABLE TO SITDOWN AND DRINK.

PKG: ERICCARBONE, MANAGER, VINE ANDBARLEY DOWNTOWN STUART 18:01IT'S NOT GOOD NEWS.

WE FINALLYSTARTED GETTING BACK TO NORMALFOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES ANDTHEN AT 11 O'CLOCK THISMORNING, THE RUG GETS PULLEDOUT FROM UNDERNEATH US AND ITFEELS LIKE THEY'RE JUSTWISHING US THE BEST OF LUCK.THE VINE AND BARLEY INDOWNTOWN STUART IS JUST ONE OFSEVERAL ACROSS THE STATE OFFLORIDA BEING FORCED STOPALLOWING DRINKING ALCOHOL ONSITE.

(IS THERE A MORECONVERSATIONAL WAY TO THIS?

)ON FRIDAY, THE DEPARTMENT OFPROFESSIONAL BUSINESS ANDREGULATION ANNOUNCING A NEWORDER ONLY ALLOWING BARS TO DOTO GO DRINKS DUE TO RECENTCOVID 19 SPIKES.

ERIC CARBONE,MANAGER, VINE AND BARLEYDOWNTOWN STUART 19:23 THATHURTS A LOT.

THE FACT THAT YOUCAN GO ACROSS THE STREET TOANY OF THE RESTAURANTS ON THEBLOCK, SIT AT A TABLE AND HAVEAN APPETIZER AND BEER, BUT YOUCAN'T COME IN OURESTABLISHMENT, SIT AT A TABLEAND HAVE A BEER.

THE VINE ANDBARLEY IS ONE OF RODNEYDEFLUMERIS FAVORITE PLACES INALL OF STUART.

RODNEY TELLS MEHE WANTS TO COME AND GO AS HEPLEASES.

RODNEY DEFLUMERI,VINE AND BARLEY CUSTOMER 31:23THIS IS FREE AMERICA.

THIS ISWHAT I FOUGHT FOR.

IF I WANTTO COME HERE AND I FEELCOMFORTABLE WITH IT, I SHOULDBE ABLE TO COME HERE.

IFYOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITHIT, YOU SHOULD NOT COME HERE.ERIC SAYS THE CLOSURE OF THEROOSEVELT BRIDGE HAS ALREADYSEVERELY IMPACTED BUSINESS BUTTHAT HE'S DOING HIS BEST TOREMAIN OPTIMISTIC.

ERICCARBONE, MANAGER, VINE ANDBARLEY DOWNTOWN STUART 22:35IT'S HARD WHEN WERE FOLLOWINGALL THE GUIDELINES THAT AREGIVEN OUT TO REOPEN AND THEN ACOUPLE OF BAD APPLES DON'TCARE AND IT'S HURTING ALL OFUS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TOFOLLOW THE RULES.

LL: ERICTELLS US TONIGHT HE HAS NOTCONSIDERED CLOSING DOWN THEVINE AND BARLEY BAR ALTOGETHERTO AVOID OPERATING COSTS ATTHIS TIME.

HE SAYS HE'S GOINGTO WAIT IT OUT AND SEE HOWBUSINESS GOES AND IF THE ORDERTO STOP DRINKING INSIDE WILLCHANGE ANYTIME SOON.

REPORTINGIN DOWNTOWN STUART, IM DER