Worcester police said Thursday that an officer spotted several customers eating and drinking at Vintage Grille during a ban on-site consumption at restaurants and bars to slow the spread of coronavirus.

However, the owner of the Shrewsbury Street restaurant says that it was not serving customers. Instead, the restaurant was trying to surprise an employee for his 70th birthday.

On Sunday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a ban on any on-site consumption of food or drinks at bars and restaurants through April 6. People across the state have been practicing social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, which causes a respiratory illness called COVID-19. Gatherings of more than 25 people have also been banned.

Worcester police wrote in a news release that a member of the department’s Alcohol Enforcement Unit saw on Wednesday that Vintage Grille was “open for business with numerous patrons consuming food and drinks on the premise.”

During a compliance check, the officer saw food and drinks being served to seated customers, according to the statement.

The officer has applied for a criminal complaint in response to the violation of the ban and the incident is being referred to the License Commission and Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for further sanctions, police said.

Robin Caruso, the owner of Vintage Grille, said police have the circumstances of the situation wrong.

Caruso said one of the restaurant’s employees was turning 70. The man’s wife is in a nursing home and he can’t see her, Caruso said in a phone interview.

Another employee asked the man to come in on Wednesday and pick up an order for delivery, she said. Instead of picking up an order, they surprised the man with a birthday cake Caruso said was the size of the palm of her hand and was purchased at a local grocery store.

“We did not serve food,” she said. “We sang happy birthday to him.”

The whole thing was a 20-minute ordeal, Caruso said. The gathering was a total of five employees with the small cake, and two of the employees had beer to “cheers” the celebration.

“It’s heartbreaking because we weren’t trying to break any rules, we were just trying to give an old man a cake,” she said.

Worcester police showed up just as the celebration was wrapping up, Caruso said.

Caruso said she was aware that the restaurant could not serve food to customers on-site during the ban.

“This was an employee,” she said. “Was it wrong, yes, probably, now we see that. But to blow us up like that, I’m a little ashamed of the Worcester police.”

Caruso said her restaurant is “just trying to survive like everyone else.” The restaurant is continuing to offer take-out.

Worcester police took videotapes that recorded the incident inside the premises, Caruso said.

Asked to respond to Caruso’s statement that everyone at the restaurant was an employee, a Worcester police spokeswoman said, “We have evidence that alcohol was being sold at the business.”

“As always our main measure of success is compliance,” said Police Chief Steven Sargent. “We are asking for cooperation from business owners and customers as we continue to work together to provide a comprehensive COVID-19 response.”

During a press conference on Thursday, City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said that Vintage Grille put not only its employees and anyone in the restaurant at risk, but also Worcester police officers.

“Not following the governor’s order is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Augustus said. “I can’t stress this enough. This is phenomenally irresponsible behavior.”

Augustus also said that what Vintage Grille did was unfair to other restaurants and businesses in Worcester.

Under Baker’s order, employees of bars and restaurants are still allowed to eat a snack or meal at the restaurant where they work, though the administration would still encourage safe social distancing, the governor’s office said.

The Worcester Police Department Alcohol Enforcement Unit will continue to conduct compliance checks at establishments throughout the city. Anyone with questions is asked to call the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission at 617-727-3040.

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