Starting tonight, Nashville bars and restaurants can stay open until midnight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Starting Monday night, bars and restaurants in Nashville can stay open one hour later – until midnight.

During last week’s COVID-19 update, Mayor John Cooper announced that Metro would update its public health protocols, citing the city's improving COVID metrics. Cooper called it a "small step towards normalcy."

In addition to the new closing time, patrons will now be able to enter bars and restaurants until 11 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. Restaurants that do not serve alcohol can also resume regular hours of operation, up to 24 hours a day, on Monday.

Capacity rules will stay the same, and customers must continue to social distance and wear masks.

While it may sound like a small change, some bar owners said it would make a big difference as they try and rebound from the impact of the pandemic.

"It's very difficult to see your restaurant full at 11 p.m. and having to tell everyone to leave," said Victoria Piller, the Owner of Neighbors in Sylvan Park. "I feel like this means we are going to back to some sort of normalcy."

Piller said safety will continue to be a top priority. All tables in the bar are spaced 6 feet apart to allow for social distancing, and hand sanitizer is placed on every table.

"Every little bit helps," said Piller. "Hopefully, this means we are headed in the right direction."