SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's alcohol control authority is giving restaurants and bars a little more relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agency is relaxing rules on outdoor drinking. In a memorandum issued this week, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agreed to allow liquor licensees to serve alcohol on newly created temporary patios.
Salt Lake City and other municipalities are allowing businesses to spread out onto public property in order to assure physical distancing that's required by health officials. That could mean taking over a parking strip or nearby parking spot for dining.
The DABC's decision is critical because it means bars and restaurants could serve alcohol outside their premises. The agency set down its own set of rules, including signage and no dispensing on the "patio area."
