TAMPA, Fla — Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was clear during her Wednesday Facebook live: restaurants that are acting like bars should be warned because the city says it has your number.
During a live stream on COVID-19 and small businesses, Castor was asked during the Q & A session about the city's stance on restaurants holding concerts, opening the door to the larger conversation.
"There are some bad actors out there in the community that, I know everyone is suffering, but again, we have to look at this as a community and we all have to follow the rules so that we can all move forward together," Castor said.
She pushed that bars should already be closed as of July 3 when the Department of Business and Professional Regulation announced alcohol could no longer be sold for onsite consumption in the state.
But, that does not give restaurants the green light to act as bars, according to Castor, who said by not following the rules these locations are going to both drag closures out longer than needed while causing more damage.
That's why the city says it crafted a letter through the City Attorney's Office warning restaurants acting like bars that they will be inspected and could face a fine and lose their liquor license if caught disobeying regulations.
"We're letting them be warned and also letting them know that we know who you are," Castor said without naming any specific locations. "You may be getting that short term profit, but you're doing long term harm to our entire community."
All in all, Castor said the city is taking this action because it needs to make sure that all are following the rules.
10 Tampa Bay has reached out to the City of Tampa to obtain a copy of the letter issued to area restaurants.
You can listen to Castor's full response in the video below.
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