#LiftTheCap: Liquor Licensing Recaps : From the weeks of July 20th and July 27th : Including the regulations draft of BYOB
On July 20th, Sofia’s Food Enterprise, Corp. dba Oliveira’s Steak House located at 22 Central Square in East Boston holder of a (Neighborhood Restricted 2014 legislation) CV 7 Day Wines and Malt Beverages w/Liqueurs License has petitioned to transfer the stock of the corporation, and secondly, has petitioned for a new stock holder of the company. The board granted the request on Thurs. July 21st.
Identity Foods, LLC dba Pollo Centro located at 225A Bowdoin Street Boston, 02122 applied for a common victualler 7 day malt and wine license to b exercised at the listed address. On July 21st, the board deferred the vote stating no licenses are available at this time.
On Wednesday, July 27th Norwich Partners Food and Beverage II LLC dba Envoy Hotel located at 70 Sleeper Street holder of an innholder all alcoholic beverages license has petitioned to transfer teh licensed business from Norwich Partners to Hersha Hospitality Management LP dba The Envoy Hotel at the same location. Secondly has petitioned for a Hotel Management Agreement between HHLP Boston Seaport Lessee, LLC and Hersha Hospitality Managment.
IHMS Boston LLC dba Taj Boston at 15 Arlington Street Boston 02116 holder of a innholder all alcoholic beverages license has petitioned to transfer the licensed business from the above to Highgate Hotels LP dba Taj Boston at the same location.
On July 28th, the board granted both transfer requests.
On July 27th Grasshopper Cafe LLC dba Grasshopper Cafe 229–231 Bunker Hill Street Charlestown, 02129 applied for a Common Victualler 7 day malt and wine license. On July 28th, the board deferred their vote due stating no licenses are available at this time.
BYOB : REPORT BACKS
At 2pm on Wednesday July 20th the Board held a public hearing to discuss the draft of BYOB (Bring your own bottle) regulations.
Epicenter Community’s Program manager, Erin Anderson, spoke with comment on rules and regulations from stance as Boston resident, restaurant worker, and as an advocate with Epicenter. The commentary that Epicenter holds on BYOB loops back to equity and how much of the economic inequity could be balanced by “lifting the cap.”
If we continue to development initiatives such as BYOB that cut corners and steer us away from the real conversation of the system that was created to bind us an inequitable market. The restriction the the number of licenses available in the city.
From a restaurant worker perspective fee, if additional steps of service need to be taken and management of alcohol service and consumption needs to be taking place there needs to be a compensation of the workers providing the extra steps in service.
Epicenter’s continued push within liquor licensing conversation within the city will be to “lift the cap” in order to expand economic equity for aspiring restaurateurs and industry workers.
This coming Saturday state officials will be voting on an amendment made by Representative Linda Dorcena Forry to House Bill S.2430 to include Boston in the conversation of giving control of the number of liquor licenses to each city in Massachusetts rather than continue with dictated cap on the number of licenses available via the state.
We encourage all of you to reach out to your city and state reps in order to encourage them to vote to lift the cap on the regulatory number of licenses within the city.
For those interested below is how the proposed regulations for BYOB read.
Section Three: Special Additional Rules for Common Victualler holding BYOB Permits:
3.01 Eligibility
A. Restaurants holding any type of alcoholic beverage license granted by this Board and the ABCC are not eligible to hold a BYOB permit
B. Restaurants in the Downtown, North End, South End, Bay Village, Fenway, Chinatown, Seaport, West End, Beacon Hill and Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston are not eligible for a BYOB permit
3.02 Restaurant Types
A. Common Victualler license holders with a capacity of 30 or less may apply for a BYOB
B. Only Common Victualler license holders who offer on premise dining with table service provided by wait staff may apply for a BYOB permit
3.03 Liability Requirements:
A BYOB Permit will not issue unless and until a licensee submits proof of liquor liability insurance for bodily injury or death for a minimum amount of $250,000 on account of injury to or death of 1 person, and $500,000 on account of any of any 1 accident resulting in injury to or death of more than 1 person.
Proof of liquor liability insurance for bodily injury or death for minimum amount of $250,000 on the account of injury to or death of 1 person, and $500,000 on account of any 1 accident resulting in injury to or death of more than 1 person is required as a condition to renew a BYOB permit.
3.04 Training Requirements
The licensee, manager of record, and all employees must complete an in-person, insurance industry-approved safe service and alcohol training program, prior to issuance of a BYOB permit
Employees hired after the issuance of BYOB permit must complete a in-person, insurance industry-approved safe service of alcohol training program prior to beginning their employment.
3.05 Permitted Types/Sizes of Alcohol:
A. Patrons may only bring wine and malt beverages into the licensed premise.
B. Patrons are prohibited from bringing distilled spirits into the licensed premise.
C. Patrons may only bring malt beverages in containers no larger than 16oz, and may bring no more than a total of 64 oz. per person (It was noted that container size would be changed to the 64oz growler that local breweries use to distribute beer)
D. Patrons may only bring wine in containers no larger than 750ml and may bring in no more than a total of 750ml per person
E. Patrons are prohibited from re-entering the premise with additional alcohol
3.06 Miscellaneous:
A. Licensees shall not charge a “corkage” or any other fee or surcharge for permitting BYOB or providing any service or amenity relative to BYOB.
B. Licensees are not prohibited from providing glassware and/or a bottle opener.
C. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a licensee from discarding an empty or abandoned alcoholic beverage container or its content.
3.07 Hours of Operation:
Licensees shall only allow BYOB between the hours of 5pm and 11pm
3.08 Renewal and Annual Fee:
A. Licensees shall be renewed each year within the month of June
B. The annual fee is $400
Licensees under this section are subject to all applicable general rules for licensees set out in sections 1 and 2, above, with the exception of those rules that refer to sales of alcoholic beverages on the premise
