A Sayreville bar is among those in New Jersey accused of violating the heightened restrictions placed on eating and drinking establishments by Gov. Phil Murphy last month.
The announcement of charges comes amid a statewide enforcement campaign by the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to ensure its licensees are complying with the governor’s Executive Order No. 194 that imposes a cessation of indoor food and beverage services between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and prohibits patrons from being seated at an indoor bar at all times, according to information provided by Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal on Dec. 11.
Other restrictions include limiting the number of patrons allowed in indoor areas to 25% of the establishment’s indoor capacity; enforcing face covering requirements for patrons and employees; prohibiting the consumption of food and alcohol by patrons who are not seated at a table; maintaining a six-foot minimum distance between dining tables; and enforcing social distancing among employees and patrons.
Black Betty’s Saloon, located at 6290 Route 35 in Sayreville, was cited for allowing patrons to sit at the bar, and failing to enforce social distancing and face covering requirements, according to allegations filed on Dec. 10. The establishment was also cited for allowing lewd activity on premises, according to the statement. The penalty sought is a 70-day suspension.
“It gives us no pleasure to take these actions, but we’re in the midst of a pandemic and we need everyone in this state to do their part,” Grewal said in the statement. “Results of our enforcement sweeps thus far demonstrate that the majority of licensees are following the governor’s orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those who flout curfews, seating restrictions, face covering mandates, and other mitigation measures will face consequences.”
Since Executive Order 194 took effect on Nov. 12, teams of investigators from ABC, the Division of Criminal Justice, and local law enforcement agencies have been carrying out inspection sweeps of bars and restaurants statewide to enforce compliance and protect public health, according to the statement.
ABC has led investigations resulting in nearly 500 random inspections of bars and restaurants to ensure compliance with the restrictions imposed under EO 194, and with other COVID-19 protocols required under prior Executive Orders.
Nearly 90% of the establishments inspected were found to be in compliance, according to the statement.
“ABC will continue to crisscross the state doing surprise inspections of bars and restaurants to identify and hold accountable those operating in violation of the restrictions in place to protect public health and safety,” James B. Graziano, director of the Division of ABC, said in the statement. “The majority of our licensees are complying with these commonsense measures. We will not allow our law-abiding licensees to be put at an economic disadvantage by a rogue few who think they are above ABC regulations and the laws of our State.”
Since March, ABC has taken enforcement action more than 200 times in response to COVID-19-related violations by licensees. Those actions have delivered warnings, and sought fines, license suspensions, and license revocations.
The charges announced on Dec. 11, which carry a minimum 10-day suspension for each licensee, represent the first enforcement actions issued in the statewide compliance campaign. More charges are expected.