It’s desolate: coronavirus lockdown takes buzz out of big apple’s nightlife
Many of the establishments around Williamsburg — a popular evening destination in Brooklyn — had already shut before last night’s deadline for bars and restaurants to close.
But outside The Gibson bar, a chalk-written sign invited punters in for “one last drink” before New York’s coronavirus lockdown.
Inside, a few regulars savoured their final moments at their local. Nicole Douillet, 41, said: “We want it to end as soon as possible. But we are really worried for friends who own bars and restaurants.” Bartender Annie Creeden, 37, said most people understand why action is necessary but added: “People are just going to lose their minds and be at home. There’s going to be a lot of babies and divorces.”
She now faces the prospect of unemployment. “Nothing’s going to be open, where is there to work?”
New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced restaurants and bars — as well as cinemas, gyms and casinos — across the state will be closed “until further notice”.
Crowds at recreational and social events will be limited to 50 people.
For many establishments, the move could spell disaster as they struggle to keep up with rent and costs. But bars and restaurants will be allowed to offer takeaways and deliveries.
On the cobbled streets of Manhattan’s Meatpacking district, there were few pedestrians. An empty stretch limo circled the block and one bar was even boarded up.
Nick Advani, 39, a finance worker who lives in the area, agreed to speak from a distance of several metres. “This is crazy, it’s just desolate.” Brian Rodriguez, 25, a retail worker from East Village, said the closures are unifying the city: “I feel like this brings everybody together a little bit.”
In Times Square, British tourists Alfie Coldron and Melissa Johnson, both 23 and from Ipswich, were disappointed to find nowhere open. Determined to make the best of it, they bought a McDonald’s and ate it at a table. They’re now trying to bring their flight home forward from Friday to tomorrow.