COVINGTON, Ky. — Streetside dining is going to continue in Covington through Feb. 28, 2022.

What You Need To Know

  • Streetside dining rules went into effect in Covington in March 2020

  • The special rules for bars and restaurants will continue until Feb. 2022

  • March 2022 the previous rules take effect but businesses must apply for licenses now

  • The city says its time to get back to the old rules and reclaim downtown parking

The pandemic forced the creation of the special program in May 2020 to allow additional outdoor dining and drinking areas in public spaces — including alleys, parking spaces and medians.

 Approximately 15 restaurants and bars met the standard set by the city to qualify for the special rules under the temporary RecoverCovington program. 

“Covington is well-known for its unique and authentic bars and restaurants, but when indoor seating capacities were sharply reduced by pandemic-related health restrictions, we knew that many of those were suddenly in a fight for their financial lives,” City Manager Ken Smith said in a statement to Spectrum News 1. “The temporary outdoor program helped many of them and their employees get through that difficult time, and we’ve extended it several times to give them extra time to recover.”

Beginning March 1, the City will once again go back to its previous Outdoor Tables and Seating License program. 

Restaurants and bars that want to place tables and seating on public sidewalks after Feb. 28, 2022, must apply by Dec. 1 by filling out the application.

The new 2022 license will not allow the use of parking spaces or outdoor tents and heaters. If restaurants had tents and heaters set up last fall and winter, they can use them again this year provided they use the same setup.

Smith added, “We want to protect all of our businesses. We said from the beginning that the extended areas were going to be temporary, and come Feb. 28, nearly two years after they were first put in place, it’s time to restore our much-needed parking.”

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