SOUTH BOSTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Bars and restaurants across South Boston have voluntarily closed for the day in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.
State Senator Nick Collins said the move was agreed to by the owners of the establishments, after hundreds of people packed the bars on Saturday night, despite a statewide emergency order to not allow more than 250 people to gather in one place.
"Last night, when lines were forming clearly in violation of the executive order of the Governor, the bar owners were contacted," State Sen. Collins told the press on Sunday morning. "The City of Boston, through the Police Department, communicated to the bars that the lines were problematic."
The closures happened right before what was expected to be a busy sunny Sunday in Southie. State Sen. Collins said even more crowds than usual were expected since it is the weekend before the now-canceled St. Patrick's Day Parade. "The restaurant owners, out of an abundance of caution, and to comply, decided to shut down early at 9:30." Collins said.
"Thank you to Mayor Walsh, my fellow South Boston elected officials and neighbors, the Licensing Board and license holders in South Boston for working with us and taking these sound proactive measures to protect the public’s health," Collins said. "We are all in this together, and it’s imperative now that we all do all that we can to keep our communities safe.”
WBZ NewsRadio's Kevin Coleman (@KevinColemanWBZ) reports:
(Photo: Getty Images)
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