Fort Worth

These photos show why Varsity Tavern won’t be serving liquor for a while

New photos from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission show why Fort Worth’s Varsity Tavern won’t be allowed to serve liquor for a while.

Varsity Tavern in Fort Worth won’t be allowed to serve liquor for 30 days after Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents photographed tightly packed crowds not wearing masks.
Varsity Tavern in Fort Worth won’t be allowed to serve liquor for 30 days after Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents photographed tightly packed crowds not wearing masks. Courtesy: TABC

One of the most popular bars in Fort Worth, Varsity Tavern’s liquor license has been suspended for 30 days due to non-compliance with social distancing and masking mandates and for overcrowding.

When bars in May reopened for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started, Varsity Tavern required mask and used handheld counters to make sure the number of patrons stayed under the required total capacity.

The new photos and the order from the TABC show a different story.

The order stated employees and patrons were not wearing face coverings in compliance with a state order requiring that every person in Texas shall wear a mask over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity open to the public.

State officials determined that the continued operation of the Fort Worth business would constitute a threat to the public welfare.

The emergency order was signed by A. Bentley Nettles, executive director of the TABC.

The bar’s website says that masks are required and staff members are required to disinfect surfaces between visits.

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James Hartley
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
James Hartley was a news reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 2019 to 2024
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