University students’ anticipated return to Tigerland bars and Highland Road restaurants was delayed after a parish-wide curfew stalled area nightlife activity in the days leading up to the start of the fall semester.
The curfew extended from Tuesday, Aug. 16 to Monday, Aug. 22. From Tuesday to Thursday, the curfew was from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. On Friday, the curfew spanned from midnight until 6 a.m. to allow more time for the community to conduct business.
Marc Fraioli, the owner of Fred’s in Tigerland, said he did not feel the curfew was necessary for the University area.
“I totally was against the curfew and didn’t see any need for it,” Fraioli said.
Fred’s changed its open bar hours from 8-10 p.m. to 7-9 p.m. The bar stayed open until midnight every night during the curfew.
Fraioli said while Tuesday and Wednesday were usually not busy nights, Thursday’s turnout was low, and only about 40 people had to leave when the bar closed at midnight. He said most people left on their own around 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night because of the curfew.
“Everybody knows so many people that were affected by [the flood],” Fraioli said. “I think that had an impact, too.”
Fred’s expected the past two weekends to be busy because of students’ return to campus and rush week. However, because of the devastation from the flood and rush week’s postponement, Fred’s took a slight hit, with sales down about 25 percent.
“I guess it was kind of hard, in the beginning, to differentiate between the curfew and just the impact of what happened, as so many people [were] affected by the flooding,” Fraioli said.
Several media outlets reported Baton Rouge Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden said he did not feel that the parish needed a curfew, but Gov. John Bel Edwards issued an executive order giving East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux III authorization to initiate and enforce the limitation.
At a press conference two weeks ago, Gautreaux said he requested the governor enact the executive order after surveying conditions throughout the parish. He said he made the decision to enact the curfew after conferring with the sheriff in Livingston Parish and assessing the damage in East Baton Rouge.
“I feel this is the best way to protect our residents, our first responders and our property,” Gautreaux said at the press conference. “My first priority is the safety of residents and first responders. I have an obligation to secure the property of the public and business owners.”
While business at Fred’s in Tigerland was affected by the curfew, Highland Road Raising Cane’s manager Colin McArdle said he was personally affected by the flood and understood the need for a curfew.
McArdle said Raising Cane’s closed an hour and a half before curfew. The restaurant offered a limited menu, known as its emergency menu, so food would not spoil in the event of a power outage or another emergency.
McArdle said the restaurant’s business was low during the day but picked up at night.
“For the most part, people understood,” McArdle said.