City leaders are finding a way to open up a new stream of revenue for restaurant owners by relaxing some of the laws around alcohol sales.
Businesses getting the short end of the stick during the coronavirus pandemic.
But city leaders are finding a way to open up a new stream of revenue for restaurant owners... wtva's sydney darden is live downtown - to explain how this plan revolves around a popular cup.
This is a tupelo to go cup.
Restaurants sell these during downtown events and it allows people to take alcohol outside of establishments and walk around downtown right now you can only get one of these cups on the weekend and you can oly get it here in downtown during a big event.
But in this corona virus pandemic, no gathering means no to go cups and less money .
But the city council says they may have an answer nats cup noise tupelo's to go cup, a staple for allowing alcohol on the street in tupelo's entertainment district and a pillar in alcohol sale for restaurants like amsterdam's.
Sot peter rodrigues, general manager, amsterdam's deli grill- "people can go out, enjoy a beer on the street, walk around."
General manager peter rodrigues says the pandemic didn't just close their dining rooms, it dropped alcohol sales to almost nothing sot peter rodrigues, - "i mean it's down to almost 0 now" and since to go cups are only allowed downtown during festivals and special events ....corona virus has just about rendered the popular party cup obsolete but mayor jason shelton says a city council vote could change all that sot - jason shelton, city of tupelo, mayor - "the proposal is designed to benefit the restaurants who are really struggling to stay open right now.
The proposed plan: - allowing local eateries that already have an alcohol permit, to sell alcohol to go cups with food orders all over the city, all throughout the week.
Sot -jason shelton - "when you order your meal from outback or applebees or wherever you want to order it from, if you also wanted a wine or a beverage you would be able to get that.
Sot - jason shelton, "i want to be clear open containers: if you get caught and pulled over consuming alcohol you can still go to jail for that relieving some pressure on local business owners and giving them a better chance to get by sot peter rodrigues- "it's not a big jump but it definitely helps out."
This is still a proposed plan.
City council member say they wont vote on whether or not to approve the plan until tuesday.
In the meantime shelton says if this is approved it will only be in effect until the coronavirus pandemic ends.
Live in tupelo, sydney darden wtva 9 news.
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