New Year's Eve looking different for restaurant and bars

Restaurants and bars are gearing up for what's supposed to be one of their biggest nights of the year.

This year, both won't have anyone ringing in the new year with them when the clock strikes midnight.

And bars .... gearing up for what's supposed to be one of their biggest nights of the year.

But this year.... neither will have anyone ringing in the new year with them when the clock strikes midnight.

Abc 36's chelsea smith talked with bar and restaurant owners on their plans for new year's eve that look much different this time around.

She has that in our top story at six.

L3: top story white celebrating new year's eve differently lexington l3: top story white mark fichtner carson's owner l3: top story white celebrating new year's eve differently lexington l3: top story white erick ostrander the paddock owner l3: top story white celebrating new year's eve differently lexington mark "it's been very difficult, you know, financially, emotionally, and very draining.

We can't wait for this year to be finished."

Carson's food and drink owner mark fichtner says they normally host a prohibition ball on new year's eve... however, nobody's going to be popping corks at midnight at any bar or restaurant to ring- in the new year because of the pandemic.

Mark "we would normally be open until 1:30 am, you know, dancing all night and we'd have 200 or 150 people in here toasting the new year in."

Mark "we're going to go ahead and do our regular dinner service and then we're offering a special new year's eve entree."

All bars and restaurants have to stop serving food and alcohol at 11 pm while operating at 50 percent capacity... which the paddock bar owner erick ostrander says it's just another hit in a year of beatings from the coronavirus.

Eric "it sucks.

Our biggest day of the year is halloween we went through that with a curfew and reduced capacity.

Now we're going through our second biggest day of the year, new year's eve, with the same thing."

Ostrander says even using outdoor tents... it probably won't be the packed bar he typically would see... so he's encouraging people to come out early and celebrate before watching the ball drop at home eric "it should be fun.

I mean, we're not 'bah humbugging' by any stretch of the imagination.

We're going to do $10 bottles of champagne all night and the doors open at 5 o'clock."

Even with restrictions...ever yone is ready to celebrate a new year...with new hope and new promise.

In lexington... chelsea smith abc 36 news ots image:right covid-19 positive mike harmon1.jpg one day