Beverly Hills Restaurant La Scala Responds To New Year’s Eve “Speakeasy” Invitation Backlash: “It Didn’t Come Out As Intended” – Update
UPDATE: La Scala, after catching heat for promoting an indoor “speakeasy” style New Year’s Eve dining experience, has responded to the backlash and explained the intended meaning of its invitations.
With an Instagram post, La Scala clarified that it planned to open back up for outdoor dining services after the dining ban, set to expire on Monday, had been lifted. While the statement does not go against its initial advertisements of a New Year’s Eve “speakeasy,” the restaurant says the language of the invitation may be to blame.
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“Unfortunately, the person that wrote it tried to add some levity and said inside instead of outside. It didn’t come out as intended, how we wanted to be represented nor how we wanted to represent ourselves,” the statement says.
The restaurant’s social media post goes on to offer condolences for those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 and to struggling business owners. The Instagram post also urges those reading the apology to “turn their hate to love and direct it to the people that need it instead of attacking small businesses trying to survive.”
La Scala’s statement, which comes just days after Beverly Hills Officials denounced restaurant and its plans to offer in-person dining amid the coronavirus pandemic, lastly took aim at the City’s Public Information Officer who spoke on the matter without contacting restaurant management.
See the Instagram post below.
PREVIOUS: Beverly Hills Italian restaurant, La Scala, has come under fire for promoting a “speakeasy”-style indoor dining experience that would violate coronavirus safety measures.
City officials have denounced the eatery after patrons received slips of paper in their to-go orders advertising the New Year’s Eve event. Beverly Hills officials have directly contacted the restaurant as its advertised “speakeasy” would violate the city’s coronavirus safety protocols.
“We understand this is an incredibly difficult time for all of our businesses, however the County Order does currently prohibit indoor and outdoor dining, including in the City of Beverly Hills,” Beverly Hills Public Information Officer Keith Sterling said.
The Beverly Hills Police Department is also aware of the restaurant’s plans.
The La Scala invitations, which were sent out as Los Angeles County continues to see a drastic rise in new Covid-19 cases, related deaths and hospitalizations, liken the coronavirus pandemic to the 20’s Prohibition.
“We are considering taking reservations for New Year’s Eve Dinner. Inside,” the discreet invitation reads. “If this is something you’d be interested in, please let us know as soon as possible. If enough interest we’ll contact you back to secure a reservation.”
To keep with its tone of secrecy and subtle rebellion, the La Scala invitation ends with, “please keep this discreet, but tell all your friends.”
City News Service contributed to this report.
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