EDITOR’S NOTE: DALLAS VOICE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THIS LIST AS WE GET INFORMATION FROM OTHER BARS.

Yesterday (Tuesday, March 2), Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that, effective next Wednesday, March 10, he is lifting the public safety mandates he put in place last year to help stem the spread of COVID-19. That means that people will no longer be required to wear masks in public spaces and that all businesses can re-open at full capacity.

While there are obviously some folks celebrating that announcement, many businesses and individuals have denounced the decision, saying it is too early, that not enough Texans have been vaccinated yet and that lifting the mandates now just opens the door to another spike in infections and deaths and to the rise of yet another, more dangerous variant of the novel coronavirus.

Texas’ bars have been among those hardest hit by the pandemic and the mandates put in place to slow the spread of the disease. But at least one Dallas bar won’t be taking advantage of Abbott’s decision to allow full capacity.

“The Hidden Door will reopen only after medical authorities tell us our guests and our employees will be safe and give us a list of precautions to take, Hidden Door President and General Manager Harvey Meissner said in a statement sent to Dallas Voice last night. “We do not believe it wise to suddenly switch overnight from double-masks to no masks and claim the threat from coronavirus is over.

“We agree with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins; opening at at time of up to a thousand new cases a day in North Texas isn’t wise,” Meissner continued. “We may well lose some some customers by not opening early. We regret that. But we’d have much greater regrets if they became ill and possibly died as a result of doing what all medical specialists tell us is wrong.”

Meissner concluded: “We’ll definitely be reopening at a time when it’s safe. We don’t believe this is it!”

Jeffrey Payne-Saragoca, owner of Dallas Eagle, announced last month that his bar will not be re-opening but will instead relocate to a new, larger location, with plans to re-open there early next year. Payne-Saragoca indicated in social media posts yesterday that those plans are not changing regardless of Abbott’s announcement.

Tanner Roberts, manager of Cedar Springs Tap House, said via social media posts that the restaurant and bar will not be changing its rules. “CSTH will still require patrons to wear masks to enter, continue to offer hand sanitizer stations and maintain current capacity restrictions and spacing of tables inside. The restaurant will add more seating at patio tables but will maintain the current spacing of those tables.

“Like everyone else we want to see an end to this pandemic and get back to the fun, energetic atmosphere The Strip is known for,” Roberts said. “However, this announcement was made far too prematurely. Customer and staff safety is and will continue to be our number one priority.”

Frank Holland said via social media that Pekers Bar will also continue to require customers to wear masks.

In Fort Worth, Austin Ralph with Urban Cowboy Saloon said that employees there will “continue to stay masked for safety,” while they are leaving the decision regarding masks for patrons up to the discretion of the patrons themselves. “We hope that our patrons are still mindful of those around them and the risk that is still involved with this pandemic,” Ralph said.

— Tammye Nash