Local bars concerned about alcohol sales restrictions

Local bars concerned about alcohol sales restrictions

Wednesday bar owners and employees gathered at the steps of Biloxi City Hall to speak out against the city’s late night alcohol sales restrictions.

Bar owners and- employees gathered at the - steps of biloxi city hall to- speak out against the city's- late night alcohol sales- restrictions.

- news 25's grace boyles caught u- with a biloxi bar owner to- get their reactions to the- mandate.- - skal axe throwing opened- its doors in biloxi on january- 24th 20-20, only to have to - close - its doors in march for eight- weeks due to the coronavirus- pandemic.

- when bars and resturants were - finally able to re-open, skal - was not.

The biloxi business wa- considered entertainment- under the statewide mandate,- like the casinos.

- daniel mcnatt, skal axe throwin- owner: "we made a transition an- hired staff for - overnight bar service in order- to try and keep our bills paid- and lights on."

- biloxi bars and restaurants are- - - - currently mandated by the city- to stop selling, serving, or- distributing alcohol between- 11:00pm and 7:00am.

- andrew "fofo" gilich, mayor of- biloxi: "but the governor has - indicated that the- close contact of the bars in- operation is counterproductive- to what we're trying to do- and that's shut this virus- down."- - - - for bar employees with late - night shifts like vanessa - aucoin, the city's mandate has- taken a toll on their - livelihoods.- vanessa aucoin, skal late night- bartender: "it's taken my entir- shift away.

I work- 10:30pm to 6am and now that's - gone, so, um, basically for the- last two weeks i- haven't had an income at all."- reportedly, the mississippi - - - - gaming commission has instructe- all casinos to follow the - executive order - governor tate reeves issued in- - - - regards to bars and restaurants- however, the casino floor is no- a bar or resturant.

- jerod campbell, skal late night- barback: "it's definitely - affected me now because i'm out- of work because of this and, yo- know, mean while, the casinos - are allowed to- do exactly what we were doing - and they're staying open and th- rest of us, like me and - vanessa are out of work now - because of this and it's just - not fair."- the mayor's executive order wen- into effect on august 5th - and will remain in effect until- august 17th unless there is - an extension.

- andrew "fofo" gilich, mayor of- biloxi: "the night scene is - something we want to- return to normal this just- happens to be, you know, an - obstacle or thorn to get back t- normal."- in biloxi, grace boyles, news - 25.