BAR in New Haven will require proof of vaccine

BAR, a restaurant and nightclub in New Haven, will begin requiring patrons to show proof of COVID19 vaccination or a negative coronavirus test result, becoming one of the first establishments in Connecticut to enact such a rule as the delta variant leads to an uptick in coronavirus cases.

The change will take effect Friday, according to postings on BAR’S social media, “in order to keep the party going while still prioritizing our community’s health and safety.”

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker has already issued a mandate requiring masks to be worn indoors across the city — regardless of vaccination status — and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now lists New Haven County as an area of “high” community transmission of COVID-19.

Responses to BAR’S announcement on Facebook and Instagram were largely positive but some commenters pledged to take their business elsewhere.

Gov. Ned Lamont has resisted a statewide approach to enacting stricter public health protocols in Connecticut as the delta variant takes hold, instead leaving decisions up to cities and towns and businesses. He said he didn’t expect to enact measures like in New York City, where proof of vaccination will soon be required for indoor dining or to visit a bar, gym, movie theater or performance venue.

“Our restaurants have done a really good job, they’ve been incredibly careful,” Lamont said last week. “Nobody wants to make sure their customers feel confident and safe more than the restaurant owners, so I’m leaving the discretion up to them. … Some are going to say ‘vaccinations only,’ some are going to say ‘masks only.’ Some may be a little more casual.”

Restaurateur Danny Meyer, a Trinity College graduate who founded Shake Shack, said last month, before New York City’s mandate was announced, that he would be requiring customers of restaurants that are part of his Union Square Hospitality Group to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, becoming one of the first in the region to take such a step.

But most Connecticut restaurants who spoke to the Courant last week were reluctant to do the same, saying forcing patrons to prove they are vaccinated may drive away customers who are just starting to return to help the pandemic-damaged industry.

“Obviously we want to maintain as safe an environment as possible for staff and guests,” said Scott Smith, chief operating officer of Max Restaurant Group, which has seven Connecticut restaurants. “At the same time, we want to make sure we’re not cutting off our nose to spite our face.”