Wisconsin Tavern League warns of closures, calls for May 1 opening: ‘It’s all in jeopardy’

Associated Press by Associated Press, Site staff

MADISON, Wis. — The Tavern League of Wisconsin is calling on Gov. Tony Evers to allow bars and restaurants to reopen on May 1, more than three weeks ahead of the end of the current stay-at-home order that has forced the closure of most nonessential businesses.

The lobbying group argued in a statement late Sunday that bars, restaurants and supper clubs could reopen by implementing a variety of safety measures to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

The Wisconsin Tavern League executive director, Pete Madland, said the organization spent the weekend coming up with a proposal for the governor because another month of closures could mean the end for some of their members’ businesses.

“Going from April 24 to May 26, while to the general public may not seem like a long time, for a small business person that is closed up, it’s an eternity,” Madland said.

In exchange for a May 1 opening, the league proposed that all restaurant and bar employees would wear masks and gloves, capacity would be cut in half, tables would be 6 feet apart with no more than six people seated there, paper menus and table condiments would be removed, and self-serve stations would be cut.

“To just create people walking through the door, spending money, will help keep these doors open because many, many, many, as I said, many of our members will not survive this,” Madland said. “It’s not just in our industry. It’s all over, but our people are hurting. They’re hurting terribly.”

The governor is facing increasing pressure from businesses and Republican lawmakers to reduce the time of the stay-at-home-order which he extended last week from April 24 to May 26.

In a call with reporters Monday, Evers said a May 1 opening was unlikely.

According to the governor’s plan introduced on Monday, restaurants and bars would be allowed to open as part of separate phases of his plan. Each phase requires overall improvement in COVID-19 cases, among other metrics.

“We need to make sure our hospitals can treat all patients and have robust testing programs in place for at risk healthcare workers,” Evers said.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story included video of the Old Fashioned, which is a member of the Tavern League. The Old Fashioned reached out to News 3 Now and asked to add the following statement to our story:

“Images of The Old Fashioned were included in a televised news segment regarding the Tavern League’s request to Governor Evers to allow restaurants and bars to open May 1 with social distancing measures in place. While The Old Fashioned is certainly as anxious anyone to see staff and customers walk through our doors again, we back Governor Evers decision to extend Safe at Home until May 26 because the safety, health, and welfare of our community comes first. While we do not believe the news segment intentionally meant to mislead the public on our position, we want to make our position clear. We can’t wait to see everyone again, and to do so feeling comfortable that it’s safe for everyone.”

COPYRIGHT 2020 BY CHANNEL 3000. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.