Coronavirus: What Neptune Beach bars and restaurants are doing for NYE amid the pandemic

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. —

Bars and restaurants in Neptune Beach are bracing for the New Year’s Eve crowds tomorrow, all while working to keep their businesses a safe place amid the pandemic.

Hawker’s, for instance, says it will continue operating at 75% capacity, meaning about 143 people can be in the restaurant at any given time compared to its normal limit of 191.

Flying Iguana just down the street says it’s allowing for 100% capacity.

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“I wouldn’t want to go out to a bar on New Year’s Eve anyway, definitely with COVID,” Suhani Jain said.

Jain will be spending her New Year’s Eve at home away from the crowds.

“We’re all pretty COVID-conscious,” Jain added.

Her friend Anuj Shah will be keeping it lowkey as well: “If I were going out right now I wouldn’t really be having fun; I’d be more paranoid.”

Over at Hawker’s, general manager Danny Davis says New Year’s Eve will be like any other night — with 300 to 500 people coming in during a typical day.

“The guests obviously want to feel safe, and we want to make sure they do feel safe,” Davis explained.

Action News Jax reached out to Jacksonville Beach Police and were told there will be extra patrols out like any other New Year’s Eve. As for overcrowding, the department says that’s up to the state to enforce, but if overcrowding becomes “overly outrageous,” then police will step in.

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For Jain and Shah, though, that’s not enough.

“I don’t wanna tell people (how) to live their lives, but I hope they realize the implications of this kind of stuff,” Jain said.

They tell Action News Jax the sooner people can take the virus more seriously, the sooner it’ll go away.

“I think if we could just hold off for a couple of weeks and maybe let it die down a little bit, I’m sure we would be able to go back to 100% going out,” Shah added.

Action News Jax also contacted the state’s division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to see if they’re making sure places aren’t overcrowding. We are waiting to hear back from them.

Cox Media Group