Health department suspends license of KY restaurant defying ban on indoor dining
Health officials issued an order Wednesday suspending the food-service license of a Kentucky restaurant that has defied Gov. Andy Beshear’s mandate not to serve customers inside.
Under Beshear’s executive order, restaurants were supposed to stop indoor dining by 5 p.m. Nov. 20.
Clifford Smith, owner of Wingz 2.0 in London, so far has kept dining-room service in his 40-seat restaurant, however.
Smith has said he believes Beshear does not have the authority to force restaurants to shut down dining rooms, though the state Supreme Court recently upheld Beshear’s authority to issue such emergency orders in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mark Hensley, director of the Laurel County Health Department, said the department issued an order Tuesday directing Wingz 2.0 to close its dining room, which would have allowed the restaurant to continue drive-through and carryout service.
When Smith did not comply, the health department served an order at 11 a.m. Wednesday suspending the restaurant’s license to serve food.
Smith, however, said he continued allowing indoor seating despite the order.
Hensley said it was the first time the local health department had been forced to suspend a food-service license, and that as a result he was not sure what the next step in the case.
Hensley said he was waiting on guidance from state officials Wednesday afternoon.
Smith has received a good deal of support for his stance, with people coming from other counties and even from outside the state to show support and buy wings.
However, he’s also faced sharp criticism from people who have accused him of risking spreading the coronavirus as the number of cases continues to rise.
Beshear said his order, which included restrictions on school attendance and other types of gatherings as well, is intended to slow a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases and resulting illness and deaths.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 11:07 AM.
