Boulder County’s Lyons Den Restaurant & Tap House had its business license revoked after the restaurant continuously violated the county’s COVID-19 public health orders.

Following more than four hours of discussion, the Lyons Town Board of Trustees voted 4-3 to revoke the restaurant’s business license and suspend its liquor license late Monday night.

Despite Boulder County’s Level Red status prohibiting indoor dining, Lyons Den continued to serve patrons indoors. The restaurant also refused to enforce face masks, refused to enforce social distancing and continued to serve patrons at the bar.

“We have followed all restrictions from early March up until this last shutdown,” said Randall Yarbrough, the owner of Lyons Den. “When we hit this last code red, we felt like we couldn’t do it.”

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Yarbrough said the restaurant’s profits have been down 50% to 60% since the pandemic hit in March.

During the trustee meeting, Yarbrough refused to say he would comply with public health orders if his business license was not taken.

Lyons Mayor Pro Tem Mark Browning said he hopes this kind of extreme action will be “a rare circumstance” moving forward.

Yarbrough received numerous warnings over the restaurant’s violations, including visits from the sheriff’s office and a cease and desist order from Boulder County Public Health on Nov. 25 that listed the violations.

On Saturday, state officials seized alcohol at Lyons Den over the restaurant repeatedly ignoring its warnings. Employees estimate that thousands of dollars of product were taken.

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Lyons Den was one of four restaurants that had their liquor licenses suspended for violating public health orders but the only to have its alcohol seized. The other restaurants were Greeley’s El Charro, Firestone’s Parrott’s Sports Grill and Greeley’s Bulldog.

“The Liquor Enforcement Division has the administrative powers as the state licensing authority to take administrative actions on licensees who violate public health orders,” the Colorado Department of Revenue said in a statement.

Dozens gathered on Main Street in support of Lyons Den during Monday’s trustee meeting, including restaurant employees like chef Darrien DeHerrera who held a sign reading, “pandemic or poverty, give us our jobs back.”

Protestors, holding signs saying “save the den” and “small business lives matter,” defended the restaurant, arguing that the customers know the risk and are choosing to visit.

Yarbrough did not respond to requests for comment on the decision but he told FOX31 that he will be appealing.