Cape Cod bar shut down for violating COVID-19 regulations
The Woodshed in Brewster was ordered to close for the rest of September by the town's Select Board.
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A Brewster bar was ordered to close for the rest of September by the local Select Board after officials determined the watering hole twice violated the state’s COVID-19 health regulations over the summer.
The Woodshed was at the center of several complaints regarding mask-wearing, social distancing, and customers being served alcoholic beverages without food dating back to July, The Cape Cod Times reports.
On Wednesday, the Select Board found the bar, while operating as a restaurant this season, broke state reopening requirements on July 3 and Aug. 22, among five potential violations, according to the newspaper.
“I think it’s actually quite remarkable there has not been some type of spreader event starting at the Woodshed, based on the testimony we’ve heard,” Select Board Chairwoman and nurse Mary Chaffee said.
A resident called town officials on July 3, reporting their daughters went to the establishment but left because of crowds and people there were not wearing masks.
A Brewster police officer went to the scene and saw a large crowd of people standing on the bar’s back deck and the surrounding area, apparently not following social-distancing protocols, the Times reports.
Joe Ford, whose family owns the establishment and the Brewster Inn & Chowder House attached to it, told the board there was overcrowding and distancing problems on that particular day.
With the start of a holiday weekend and outdoor entertainment, along with staffing issues, Ford called it a “perfect storm,” according to the newspaper.
“Changes were made to our protocol to prevent this from happening again,” he said.
A Barnstable County inspector sat in the parking lot on Aug. 22 and observed patrons drinking alcohol without food — now required under state regulations — and multiple mask-wearing violations.
The inspector also saw 40 to 50 people on benches who were not social distancing, the publication reports.
Ford said patrons have been told they must remain at their tables after placing their orders inside, but the rule has been difficult to actively enforce.
“This has not been easy, and we are absolutely trying and doing our best to follow all protocols and keep our patrons and staff safe,” Ford said.
Ford and his father, Bob Ford, noted the inspector did not make his observations during an inspection and said many of the complaints were rumors.
They said customers have been allowed to order to-go drinks while waiting for a table, according to the Times. However, the patrons drink the beverages on a part of the property that is not under the jurisdiction of the restaurant’s liquor license.
The board did not cite that as a violation though since it was not among the complaints brought to officials, and other alleged violations were ultimately not cited by the board Wednesday as they were not witnessed by public officials.
In a Facebook post, The Woodshed said the bar would close for the rest of the month, and clarified the closure was because of the board’s decision.
“If you had a fun time at the Shed this summer, feel free to let them know,” the post says.
According to the Times, the Brewster Inn & Chowder House will remain open.
“We tried to make it work,” the post says. “We will see what happens, hope to be open for the month of October.”
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