Kid Rock’s downtown Honky Tonk Bar is one of four venues to temporarily lose their beer permit over health violations. The other three: Moxy Nashville Downtown, Broadway Brewhouse, and Nudies Honky Tonks, along with Kid Rock’s bar, will all have their beer permits suspended for five days, which means they cannot sell beer with an alcoholic content of eight percent or greater for five days. The violations occurred over the weekend,

All four bars were cited for not following Order 6, which does not allow live music, dance floors or bar seating, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“They were in violation of two points of the order that states bar areas must remain closed to the public,”  inspector Melvin Brown told The Tennessean. “No interaction with the public is allowed, and alcohol can only be served at tables and booths.”

Although businesses have 14 days to appeal the citation, Metro Public Health Bureau Director Hugh Atkins, claims that the owners of the bars knew that they were not following orders.

“We have an extensive public outreach to educate the permit holders in Metro about the requirements of these orders,” he said. “(Public Health Director) Dr. Michael Caldwell conducted a walk-through at Kid Rock’s and received a subsequent complaint. We have, in daily press briefings from the mayor’s office, emphasized the requirements of the orders.”

Steve Smith, owner of Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk Bar, previously said he would fight the charges, alleging the requirements are highly unfair.

“The Nashville government is, like, communist. They’ve got us behind a Berlin Wall,” Steve said. “We met with Mayor Cooper and the doctors weeks ago and explained how having bar service is safer than table service. They’re doing everything they can to put us out of business. The state of Tennessee is already in Phase 4 and they’re talking about holding us in Phase 2. It’s against our constitutional rights.”

Will Cheek III, who is an alcoholic beverage attorney who represents Nudie’s, is planning on asking for a fine instead of the loss of their permit.

“I was very surprised the board issued a suspension,” Steve said. “We’re going to ask the beer board to do something more reasonable which is to issue a fine. A suspension is too much. It’s particularly hard on the heels of being closed by COVID. These businesses have suffered.”

Steve spoke out shortly after the citations were issued, claiming it was grossly unfair.

“It’s unfair for 5,000 people to march in front of our place yesterday in direct violation of the Phase Two order and then for Mayor Cooper and Dr. Caldwell to come in last night and give us citations,” Steve’s attorney, Bryan Lewis, told WKRN.

“This is selective enforcement,” he continued. “Mayor Cooper cannot have it both ways. The business owners in Nashville are sick and tired of this, if we were under Governor Lee’s plan, we would already be in Phase Four.”

Earlier today, Mayor John Cooper announced Nashville would move into Phase 3 on Monday, June 22. Kid Rock has yet to publicly comment on the decision.