Here in the San Jose area, there have been three recent instances of people getting around the COVID restrictions on bars by operating underground bars. In one case, literally underground: it was in a basement. Police have been tracking them down and raiding them in a way to bring back memories of speakeasies in the 1920s.
Sheesh, the folks can drink all they want at home. And in a few months, drinking establishments will probably open back up. Can’t they wait a bit?
Maybe it’s not so much the drinking - but hooking up with a partner for the night.
Still, I agree: Can’t they wait a bit?
Obviously not else they wouldn’t be doing it. Not everyone is in the elite class and can dine with friends in hoity-toity restaurants or afford to fly to Cancun or Orlando.
Meanwhile, on this side of the pond, we never had speakeasies; but we do have pubs.
This is a report and bodycam video of the police raiding an illegal “pub”, The Covid Arms, set up in a garage in the West Midlands. Later that night they also raided a pop-up nightclub.
After spotting taxis dropping people off on Buckingham Street, officers forced their way in and found people packed into two floors of the building.
The bar had been fitted out with a dance room and the building also contained a recording studio and gym.
Officers were hit with bottles as they tried to speak with party-goers in the early hours while drone footage showed some of the revellers fleeing the premises using the roof.
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So, you DO have speakeasies, even if you don’t call them that.
Was that the purpose of speakeasies back in the day? I always assumed it was a place to get a drink that was unavailable anywhere else due to prohibition. If both were places were visited for the hooking up reason then it’s an interesting repeat of history, if one was to obtain alcohol which was unavailable elsewhere, and this was to hook up it would seem to be different to those speakeasies.