MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
Not allowed inside Shelby County commission Monday afternoon because of health precautions, restaurant and business owners instead stood outside and stood up for their livelihoods.
They're upset about the impact new COVID related restrictions from the Shelby County Health Department is having on their bottom lines.
Meanwhile, health inspectors continue their crackdown of businesses breaking the rules.
"It's extremely frustrating; to date I have lost $140,000 this year," Dru's Place owner Tami Montgomery said.
Montgomery and other Shelby County restaurant owners stood in solidarity Monday afternoon, as they struggle to stay open and afloat.
"It's a trickle down impact," Tony Westmoreland said, whose group owns six Shelby County establishments. "It's not just restaurants, it's affecting a lot of people."
The latest health directive trimmed capacity limits and reduced nightly closing time from midnight to 10 p.m.
Two weeks after taking effect, business owners said the requirements are proving to be costly.
"Those two hours are essentially a 30% to 40% drop," Montgomery said.
The Memphis Restaurant association sent the health department a letter last month, concerned about the new temporary restrictions.
Last week, representatives from both groups held a conference call to clear the air and clean up some confusion.
"You can talk all you want but we live in a fear every time they have another update, of being shut down again," Montgomery said.
Over the weekend, Shelby County Health inspectors busted nine businesses found in violation and shut them down at least two weeks.
Those owners can apply to reopen after December 19th if they submit a plan to comply with the health directive, which is expected to remain in place until late December, possibly into January.
