Bar forced to apologise for lifting face mask rule once a week

There’s big drama in Greenfield, Massachusetts, as a lesbian bar has been forced to issue an apology for making a major change.

Last Ditch Bar is known in the US town for having a strict policy on customers having to wear a well-fitted KN-95 mask ‘or better’ at all times.

However, its loyal base where stunned by the announcement at the end of August that it would be lifting the rule for Saturday nights.

“It is with love we inform our immunocompromised disabled divas we will be opening Saturday nights as mask optional,” the LGBTQ+ venue initially wrote on Instagram.

This change was reportedly to help boost the business after financial strain but it was met by backlash from some members of the local queer community. And Last Ditch has since apologised for its ‘dismissive tone’.

The bar posted a list of updates, with the change made to its accessibility in order to ‘try out typical club nights with themes/hosts/DJs/full capacity.

“Accessibility is a pillar of our mission,” it explained. “AND our mission is also to make the space work for everyone and everything radical, sometimes that’s being wild!

“We strive for solidarity, transparency of risks, and connecting us all in this revolution. We still give priority to public and private Masked bookings, and continue a recurring monthly Masked Social prioritising safety. It is only after an outpour of feedback from our regulars, volunteers, and team that we make this addition.”

While the bar made it clear the mask policy would remain in place on other nights and still be a core priority, users slammed the post with one writing: “What is truly being WILD is announcing a change of this magnitude in a cavalier, callous fashion.”

The comments were eventually turned off but others slammed it: “Just say you’re being complicit in a mass disabling event and get it over with.”

The bar for ‘dykes, transsexuals, gender freaks, workers, and their friends’ which opened last year has reportedly been struggling and has been looking to bring in more customers.

But it seems this bid to do so has divided its community with some even calling for a boycott.

Last Ditch’s apology

The bar went on to post an apology for the messaging as it said: “We are sorry for our passive and dismissive tone of our change to the norms and schedule impacting the most intersectional of us.

“We understand everyone faces different intersections and we are always working to consider all needs fully.”

It wrote that feedback had ‘pushed for varied accessibility’ but was sorry to ‘disappoint valued community members’ with its ‘casual announcement’ of the change.

A community meeting was unable to find a resolution as the bar’s remaining owner (after the other two quit a few months ago), Jackie Matellian, reportedly became emotional.