Bar owners lose court fight against Nashville’s COVID-19 restrictions

Honky-tonk bar owners will not be granted a temporary restraining order against Nashville officials over the city’s coronavirus restrictions.

Federal Judge Eli Richardson has denied their request, the mayor’s office and the plaintiffs’ attorney confirmed Sunday. Some of the bars involved include The Local, Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk and Steakhouse and Honky Tonk Central.

“Judge Richardson’s ruling affirms Metro’s approach in fighting the coronavirus and keeping Nashvillians safe,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said in a statement. “Don’t share your air, Nashville. The more often we wear masks in public places, the more quickly we can reopen all our businesses without interruption.”

The bar owners’ motion for a temporary restraining order, filed recently in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, is one of the latest challenges to the city’s COVID-19 restrictions.

As of Sunday, Nashville had more than 5,000 active cases of the coronavirus and 141 death attributed to the illness.

In the federal filing, plaintiffs were seeking a restraining order against Cooper, Nashville Director

of Health Dr. Michael C. Caldwell and the Metro Beer Board. They say they have suffered harm after being forced to close their establishments due to the pandemic.

Attorney Bryan Lewis, who is representing the plaintiffs, said they plan to move forward with their case.

“We are disappointed with the ruling but understand and respect the judge’s decision. We will be vigorously prosecuting the case and will more than likely move for additional injunctive relief as the facts develop in discovery,” Lewis said in an email.

AP FILE PHOTO/MARK HUMPHREY People wear masks as they cross Broadway recently in Nashville. The Nashville Health Department has put in place a mask mandate to help battle the spread of the coronavirus.