![Bar owners, microbrewers vent frustrations to a House committee](https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2176/files/2019/01/State-Capitol-e1546351359909.jpg)
Bar owners and microbrewers vented their frustrations with COVID restrictions they say are overly burdensome to the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday.
Rock and Bowl owner Johnny Blanchard said if the state would work with bar and music venue owners on looser restrictions a lot of service industry workers could be moved off unemployment.
“We can put people back to work and then you don’t have to worry about making a budget for unemployment,” said Blanchard.
The state’s unemployment trust fund has been drained dry and Louisiana is currently having to take out federal loans to pay out state benefits.
Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild Director Carey Koch said large breweries are barred from indoor service while small restaurants are allowed to operate as bars.
“I just passed the restaurant around the corner, they are three deep at the bar, there is a line outside of people waiting to get in, and I have a 1,500 square foot building and I can’t let a person inside to have a beer?” asked Koch.
Matt Chiasson, owner of Lafayette’s Grouse Room, said the “bad actors” who are operating their bars against state restrictions are doing so out of desperation as everyone in the industry hemorrhages cash.
“I don’t think people want to say hey I want you to come and close me down, I think this is out of desperation,” said Chiasson.
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