Maryland Bar Plans To Reopen With Patrons Donning Giant Inner Tubes For Social Distancing

A bar in Ocean City, Maryland, is planning to use an innovative contraption to promote social distancing once the establishment fully reopens.

In video posted to Facebook on Saturday, Fish Tales showed off a device they called a “social distancing table” which consists of a massive inner tube atop four metal legs on wheels. Each person would be required to wear the contraption in order to promote social distancing while in the bar, the New York Post reported.

“Only at Fish Tales can you find these special tables for social distancing,” said the woman who recorded footage of people using the tables. “They are six feet apart. You can drink safely,” she added.

She also said the tables would become available “whenever we are allowed to serve.” As the Post reported, the bar is currently open for takeout service only, while dine-in services are still prohibited in Maryland.

TMZ spoke to Donna Harman, the owner of Fish Tales, who told the outlet that she has already purchased 10 of the contraptions.

“She says she’ll probably let people use these in the parking lot — it’d be kinda tight inside — and estimates she can safely fit 40 to 50 of them at a time in that space, so she’ll probably buy more,” the outlet reported.

“As for how these even came about … they’re actually a new invention manufactured by a company called Revolution Event, which is run by Erin Cermak. Cermak says she and her partners whipped these babies up from scratch, adding they’re all custom-made and in direct response to the pandemic. It’s a neat idea, and apparently others think so too — Cermaks tells us she’s getting calls from tons of businesses, including a pro sports league,” TMZ added.

Fish Tales is hardly the first establishment to come up with a silly way to keep people from getting too close. Last week, CNN reported on a café in Germany that has provided patrons with a pool-noodle hat to help maintain social distancing.

“Rather than using floor markings and perspex screens to keep people apart, the owners of the cafe distributed straw hats with two colorful swimming noodles attached to the top,” the outlet reported.

“This was the perfect method to keep customers apart — and a fun one,” café owner Jaqueline Rothe told the outlet, adding that a local TV company came up with the idea and then filmed people wearing the devices.

“It was a perfect gag and of course it was funny, our customers were really into it. But what it did show to us (was) how difficult it is to keep a distance of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet),” Rothe said.

The devices may look comical, but if it helps businesses open sooner, they might not be such a bad idea.