The Southampton Village restaurant 75 Main had its liquor license suspended by the New York State Liquor Authority on Sunday, following a Saturday night visit by S.L.A. investigators and officers from the village, the Suffolk County Police Department, and the County Sheriff's Office that revealed numerous violations of coronavirus-related regulations, according to the state. It was the third time the Main Street restaurant has been cited by officials this summer.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office said on Monday that S.L.A. investigators and police officers observed "a line of patrons waiting to enter the premises, ignoring social distancing, with most not wearing facial coverings" during a joint inspection around 6 p.m. Satur-day. Investigators also observed two bartenders and three servers without facial coverings.
State regulations for restaurants during the pandemic require patrons to wear masks when not seated at a table, for staff to wear face coverings, and for tables to be placed at least six feet apart.
Around 7 p.m., "investigators returned to find multiple employees and patrons standing, mingling, and drinking around the bar without facial coverings," as well as patrons from nearby tables "wandering up to the bar to mingle and consume shots -- in violation of the governor's executive order prohibiting walk-up bar service." Patrons also stood in long lines waiting to use the restrooms without observing social distancing protocols, many of them not wearing facial coverings, according to the statement.
"At least 27 employees were working at the time of the inspection, with none of them observed attempting to control the lines or prohibit patrons from consuming alcohol while standing near the bar," the statement said.
The joint inspection team entered the restaurant a third time around 11 p.m. and saw two employees run to the kitchen to alert staff, according to the release. The investigators identified 25 additional violations, "including serious health hazards."
Earlier in the evening, an 18-year-old agent was able to buy alcohol on two separate occasions without being asked for identification, the governor's announcement said. The legal drinking age is 21.
The restaurant was one of 14 bars and restaurants in the state to have its liquor license suspended after inspections last weekend, and the only one in Suffolk County. A total of 162 liquor licenses have been suspended in the state during the coronavirus pandemic.
On June 13, prior to indoor dining being allowed on Long Island, Southampton Village police documented 75 patrons eating inside at 75 Main. On July 28, investigators from a state task force observed three employees without facial coverings. Charges from those incidents are pending with the S.L.A.
In an effort to promote businesses hurt by shutdowns, the village launched a pilot program called Southampton in the Streets in June. Main Street and Job's Lane are closed to traffic on weekend evenings, allowing greater pedestrian traffic and a larger footprint for outside dining. Photos posted of the outdoor dining area in front of 75 Main on social media after earlier Southampton in the Streets events showed a maskless fire-juggling belly dancer and crowds standing in the area in front of the restaurant, many without masks.
Southampton in the Streets and 75 Main in particular have already drawn scrutiny from authorities. Speaking on July 28, after condemning a Chainsmokers charity concert in Bridgehampton in which concertgoers crowded into a V.I.P. area near the stage as "a gross violation of common sense," Governor Cuomo also called out "ongoing and recurring" behavior in Southampton Village "that also violates the public health regulations." The concert was investigated, and an inquiry was also opened into activity in the village.
Southampton Mayor Jesse Warren on Tuesday called the S.L.A.'s multiple citations at 75 Main "unfortunate" but an outlier in the village's commercial core, adding that "75 Main is an economic engine and important hub for the Southampton Village business district," he said. "We're hopeful that they can turn it around and get into compliance with the governor's executive orders so they can get back to business and serve the Southampton Village community."
"I also wanted to applaud every other business owner in the district," the mayor said, "for their hard work in not only serving the community but in making sure they provide a safe environment for those who will frequent their establishments. This appears to be the case of one outstanding institution that we hope will get into compliance and provide a safe environment."
"Right now, we're not able to talk about it," was the answer to a call to 75 Main seeking comment on Monday afternoon. The caller was invited to make a reservation, however.
Reached by phone yesterday, 75 Main's owner, Zach Erdem, declined to comment, but in a statement to The New York Post's Page Six on Monday, he is quoted as saying that the restaurant "has a zero tolerance policy for any violations of social distancing, mask requirements, or serving alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. We have terminated the personnel involved. We are working together with the State of New York to rectify this matter and have no greater priority than providing a safe environment for our patrons."
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Note: This article has been updated since it originally appeared online.