Lebanon tavern offers limited bar seating in afternoon, while awaiting takeout

Maine has still not prohibited bars and restaurants from serving on premises, (Courtesy photo)

LEBANON, Maine - While the state of Maine has still not enacted mandatory prohibitions on bars and restaurants Trains Tavern in Lebanon has decided on its own to scale back operations on a voluntary basis.

Beginning today the tavern will limit its hours of operation to 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. with limited bar seating from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Then, from 4-8 p.m. only carry-out will be filled, with customers allowed to have a drink while they wait for their food to go.

The Rochester Voice called the Maine CDC twice today to find out if they were contemplating a full closure like in New Hampshire, once getting a recording and once getting a live operator who put us through to a separate recorded message.

Mike Somers, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, said today that the limited bar seating Trains is now employing was something he was advocating for last weekend in Concord.

But when New Hampshire officials learned through social media that Massachusetts residents were planning to visit the Granite State for St. Patty's Day celebrations, state officials deemed it would be a health risk with such an influx. On Monday, Gov. Chris Sununu made it official, restricting all restaurant activity to takeout or drive-thru options.

"When they saw that on social media that was the straw that broke the camel's back," Somers said. "There was a fear we would be importing a worse (COVID-19) problem."

The current New Hampshire restaurant dine-in prohibition lasts until April 6, and Somers said by then many restaurants will be in dire financial stress.

"Restaurants depend on cash flow, these guys are in a tough spot," he added.

Somers said right now he's beating the bushes to find whatever government relief packages he can find, including finding disaster relief funds from FEMA, low interest loans and anything else.

He said social distancing within a bar or restaurant like what Trains is doing could be back on the table when the current directive ends in April, adding COVID-19 numbers could determine the outcome.

Amid all the uncertainty, Somers urged consumers to order takeout, get delivery and buy gift certificates and gift cards to help these restaurants out.

"These restaurants give back a lot to the community all year long," he said. "And for them, this will be an extremely tough three weeks."