OPENING DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA BUSINESSES

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said he is supportive of the idea of closing Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola to allow restaurants and retailers to use the road for dining and shopping during the coronavirus pandemic. The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce endorsed the idea of closing the street. However, the Downtown Improvement Board said many of the restaurants along the street are operating curbside to-go services, and closing the street would hurt their businesses instead of helping them. Robinson said he was looking at limiting closing the street during afternoon and evening hours Fridays and Saturdays and perhaps on Sundays as well.