No Mask, No Entry, No Service

By: Hope Allem

Due to alleged COVID-19 violations, the liquor license of Mahoney’s Irish Pub & Steakhouse has been suspended as of Saturday at 5:00 pm. The alleged COVID-19 violations included the neglect of enforcing social distancing and the use of face-masks.

As of Sept. 1, there had been 168 liquor license suspensions in New York State due to COVID-19 regulation violations. In a recent briefing by Gov. Cuomo, in reference to bars and restaurants, he stated, “local police departments are supposed to be enforcing these laws. Frankly, they are not doing it in some places…so if the police in the localities aren’t going to enforce compliance to the extent they should, I want the establishments to know that the state is going to do it.”

According to the New York State Liquor Authority, indoor bar service is to remain closed at this time with no seating or service at the bar. All alcoholic beverages must be served to the table, and food and drink services are not permitted during the hours of 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM.

Establishments found to violate these and many other regulations are subject to fines of up to $10,000, while the immediate suspension of a business’s liquor license as a result of severe infringements.

Mahoney’s staff did not wish to make a statement about the current license suspension and asked reporters to call back Monday afternoon. Pat Rohan, the manager of the Pub shared with Mid Hudson News that a hearing with the New York State Liquor Authority will be held on Monday.

As a reaction to the bar’s strict rules against fake IDs compared to other hotspots of the colleges in the area, many students stated they were not surprised by the suspension was a result of COVID-19 violations. A few also relayed that pictures and videos posted on social media displayed many violations of the current COVID-19 regulations at the establishment.