NYC restaurateur blasts Cuomo and De Blasio for imposing 10pm curfew on bars and restaurants

A New York City restaurateur criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio for enforcing a 10pm curfew on bars and restaurants, arguing it’s mindboggling after thousand-people rallies for President-elect Joe Biden erupted across the city. 

Tyler Hollinger, owner of Festivál in Midtown East, had pointed words for New York’s politicians during an appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News on Friday.

‘De Blasio and Cuomo will not stop us – let’s be clear,’ Hollinger, who opened his restaurant amid the pandemic two months ago, told Carlson. 

‘They will not stop New Yorkers. They will not stop New York businesses because they are temporary individuals and businesses and the people that live in New York are permanent.’

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Hollinger’s message came after Cuomo announced on Wednesday that all bars, restaurants and gyms must closed from 10pm to 5am each night because of rising coronavirus cases.

In New York City, officials on Friday recorded more than 1,800 new cases and at least nine deaths. Over a seven-day period, 6,218 new cases, 44 deaths and 358 hospitalizations were confirmed. 

There’s been an ‘increasing’ trend of infections, which has amassed to 284,000 cases and a death toll of 24,108.

But according to Hollinger, local officials seemed much less concerned about infections and social distancing after Joe Biden won the presidential election.

After TV news networks called the election in Biden’s favor on Saturday, the Big Apple saw a number of large crowds gathering in streets across all five boroughs. 

‘As opposed to allowing people to spread out and enjoy their meal, now people are going to be more on top of each other, which is insane,’ Hollinger told Carlson.

‘This government just allowed thousand-person rallies to happen for Joe Biden all over the city, but you can’t have Thanksgiving for 10 people?’

‘Something is very, very wrong.’ 

Earlier this week, Cuomo announced tighter indoor gathering restrictions as the holiday season rapidly approaches.  Now, private at-home gatherings – including holidays jubilees – in New York cannot exceed 10 people.

Hollinger also argued that the imposed curfew would actually increase coronavirus spread as the state’s positivity rate hit just under 3 per cent.

‘What Cuomo doesn’t realize is that those individuals who wanted to dine late are just going to come an hour earlier on top of the people who are already there. So what you’ve created is a bad situation for more crowding.’

When asked if any city officials had reached out to Hollinger before enforcing the curfew, he told Carlson ‘the city has no interest in hearing what small businesses think.’

Hollinger claimed that his restaurant was visited by a revolving door of health officials who imposed fines, restrictions and legislator when ‘when we’re just out there keeping people safe.’

‘And this is the hypocrisy we’re living in right now,’ he added.    

 The controversial curfew went into effect Friday, and photos taken around New York City showed darkened eateries and closed off businesses. 

Sidewalks found outside of restaurants appeared desolate, makeshift dining areas placed on New York City streets and walkways were packed away.

Signs reading ‘Closing at 10pm Stock Up Now’ and ‘No Gatherings After 10pm’ were taped in diner windows. 

On Wednesday, Cuomo attempted to explain the new wave of restrictions during a press conference.

‘Losing money hurts but money can be replaced. Losing a loved one is forever.

‘If the lights are on and people are drinking, they get a summons,’ he said.

It’s the latest blow to the restaurant industry, which was only allowed to operate indoor dinning at 25 per cent capacity in October after inaction for several months.   

Mayor Bill de Blasio reitered Cuomo’s warning on Wednesday, saying ‘This is our LAST chance to stop a second wave. We can do it, but we have to act NOW.’

Melissa Fleischut, president of the New York State Restaurant Association, said the restriction was ‘huge blow to the restaurant industry that is desperately trying to stay afloat’ during the pandemic. 

 ‘Our members have put in place procedures and protocols to mitigate the spread, and we’ll continue to do so to ensure the safety of our employees and patrons,’ she said. 

‘We understand the logic behind micro-cluster restrictions, but at this time we have concerns about blanket statewide restrictions like this.’

Cuomo also came in for criticism from former State Assembly member Dov Hikind, who mocked the governor for publishing a book in October called American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Hikind satirised the book by announcing his own spoof book launch of Lessons in ‘Leadership’ by King Covidius Cuomo, with the tagline: ‘How did the tyrant king manage to preside over the most covid deaths of any state in our nation?’.

The COVID Zone Finder, which collects data on local outbreaks, noted that much of Staten Island, as well as parts of Brooklyn and Queens, had spiked infections.

New York state has announced more than 556,000 cases and 33,425 deaths as of Friday.

The United States has recorded concerning upticks, with 100,000 being recorded last week and 160,000 on Thursday.  

The country has continued to edge towards 11 million cases and 250,000 deaths.