Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder says Springfield bars can’t open on Sunday. WICS Newschannel 20 says that Langfelder issued a release today saying that bars without kitchens in the city are not permitted to offer indoor service at this time. The Sangamon County Health Department said on Wednesday that with restrictions, indoor service could return to the county at 25% capacity.
Langfelder says that the county health department only controls food licenses and not liquor licenses and that the city is not granting authority for bars within the corporate limits of Springfield that do not operate a commercial kitchen to be open for indoor bar service. According to the announcement, bars in Springfield that do not serve food and reopen for indoor service may lose their liquor license.
Langfelder says he doesn’t agree with the Sunday opening and encourages local restaurants to continue with takeout service only until January 12th. Langfelder says it will keep any post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases attributed to the reopening from happening. Langfelder says it’s a way for schools to stay in session and other businesses to stay open.
Langfelder also warned that any bar or restaurants who do open for indoor service may also run the risk of losing money for defying state mitigations. Langfelder says with the holidays, it’s not a time to “let the guard down” when it comes to stopping transmission of COVID-19.