July 08, 2020
The Bards/Facebook
The Bards opened at 2013 Walnut Street in 1995, but will not reopen again in Philadelphia as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
After 26 years in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse neighborhood, The Bards will shut down for good as a result of hardships caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The traditional Irish pub on Walnut Street was an intimate space and a popular hangout for sporting events. The owners prided the pub on its fresh pints of Guinness and Irish whiskey.
In a statement on Facebook this week, The Bard said it had planned to renew its lease at 2013 Walnut Street, but found that it would not be feasible to reopen while meeting guidelines for social distancing.
7/8/2020 The Bards lease expires this month and while we had intended to extend it and continue trading, recent events...
Posted by The Bards on Wednesday, July 8, 2020
"It is with much sadness that we announce that The Bards will not re-open again and that our 26 happy years in Philadelphia have now finally come to an end," the bar's statement said. "It's been a great long run – and we will always be grateful to the people of Philadelphia for making us part of this great city for so long."
Several Philadelphia restaurants have closed as a result of COVID-19, including Center City's R2L, Old City's Farmicia, Manayunk's Bourbon Blue and Mad River, and East Passyunk's Sate Kampar.
The city has permitted outdoor dining in accordance with guidelines, but indoor dining at bars and restaurants in Philadelphia remains prohibited. The issue will not be up for consideration until the start of August at the earliest, when city officials again assess progress and readiness to lift more restrictions.
