MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) – Tennessee businesses are challenging a recent order by the Shelby County Health Department to shut down 45 bars because of a fear of coronavirus spreading there.
On July 13, eight of those businesses sued county officials in Memphis federal court over their July 8 order that shut down bars/limited service restaurants and clubs.
“Restaurants, theaters, large public gathering facilities such as Graceland and Beale Street (generally) were not affected by the Closure Order,” the lawsuit says.
“Remarkably, bars, pubs and taverns in and around Beale Street, regardless of their ratio of food to liquor sales, are exempt from the order. Ironically, the heavily trafficked ‘tourist’ areas of Memphis and Shelby County were untouched by this Closure Order.”
The order also shut down adult entertainment venues, schools and large-scale community events like festivals and sporting events.
“If Shelby County Health Department is concerned about the spread of COVID-19 among its citizenry, why are they only closing small ‘mom and pop’ local bars and restaurants?”