Restaurants and bars frustrated with curfew set in Pueblo

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The two-week curfew in Pueblo has several restaurants and bars frustrated about what it could mean for their businesses.

On Thursday, Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar announced a curfew will be set from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Friday. It is being implemented to try and bring the Steel City's COVID-19 numbers down.

Gena Rosales, the co-owner of The Senate Bar and Grill, says 10 p.m. is where she sees the bulk of her business and the curfew will force her to cut hours to her 20 employees.

"I feel like this an attack on the industry," Rosales said. "Because what else is open besides convenience stores?"

Even though the curfew would only have bars and restaurants close an hour earlier due to the governor's order not allowing the sale of alcohol past 11 p.m., Rosales says it's still going to hurt her business.

"One hour is a big deal that time of night," Rosales said. "That's a huge difference not only for the profit for the bar, it's a huge difference for what my employees take home at the end of the night."

Hours after the surprise announcement was made, a large group of people gathered outside City hall to protest the curfew and other restrictions that could be implemented if Pueblo can't get its COVID-19 numbers down.