Restaurant patios in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, seemed to return to normal over the weekend, following the state’s lockdown in response to the Chinese coronavirus being lifted on Friday.
Outdoor patios of Cleveland restaurants and bars looked exactly as they once did on warm weekends during the pre-coronavirus era, as patrons flocked to some of their favorite downtown spots after Ohio’s patio lockdown was lifted on Friday, according to a report by Cleveland.com.
Photos of people drinking and dining on patios at multiple establishments in downtown Cleveland later circulated on social media, which elicited outrage among some residents.
The social media photos showed what appeared to be packed outdoor patios of patrons who were not “social distancing,” and were not wearing masks.
“Lago took great care to implement every guideline that has been set by the State of Ohio,” said Fabio Salerno — the owner of the popular Lago East Bank restaurant in Cleveland — responding to the backlash that was derived from the social media photos.
“There were times during our opening that tested those guidelines, and we took immediate measures to thin the ‘crowded’ areas,” added Salerno. “The pictures are one moment, one angle, one second of time.”
The social media photos were also apparently seen by Ohio governor Mike DeWine, whose office issued a warning for businesses tempting to test the guidelines of Ohio’s Stay Safe order:
As restaurants and bars opened yesterday for patio service, we know many establishments across Ohio are doing their part to follow best practices to keep patrons safe and socially distanced. However, anecdotes are also being distributed across the state about establishments that opened and allegedly ignored these safety guidelines.
“Those who operate their businesses while disregarding safety guidelines, designed to protect the health of their customers and all Ohioans, are being irresponsible and need to understand that these guidelines will be enforced,” the statement added.
People claim that they feel “unsafe” just from simply looking at the photos of the Cleveland patios, according to Cleveland 19 News.
Additionally, Cleveland police responded to 28 calls about mass gatherings at home and businesses over the weekend.
Cleveland’s Lago, Harry Buffalo, Mullberry’s, and TownHall were each visited by the police, as they were the four establishments that garnered the most complaints, according to Cleveland.com.
Governor DeWine said that Ohio is now assembling “a large contingent of law enforcement and health officials from across state agencies and from our local communities” to conduct checks and refer those in violation for prosecution.
The report added that violators could potentially lose their liquor licenses.
“Violating the State’s guidelines for the reopening of businesses is something the City of Cleveland takes very seriously,” said Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson in a press release.
“We will continue to monitor this situation and will be developing a policy to address the actions of habitual offenders,” he added.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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