Adams Places Restrictions on Summer Street Bars
ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen has placed a midnight curfew on the PNA and The Grille along with other restrictions.
The Selectmen set some restrictions last Thursday with the bars' management after mounting issues in the Summer and Victory Street area.
"As a result of increasing public safety and quality of life concerns in the Summer Street and Victory Street area, the Board of Selectmen held a Public Hearing last Thursday with the PNA and The Grille to discuss and address these concerns," Selectwoman and Licensing subcommittee member Christine Hoyt said in an email exchange. "In particular, there was a significant disturbance that required response from Adams Police and the State Police during the weekend of April 19 – 20."
The Selectmen, which also serves as the licensing authority, established restrictions that include a midnight closing time for both establishments starting May 3.
This issue first came up in 2017 when Police Chief Richard Tarsa asked the board to set a uniform closing time be established at 1:30 a.m. with the last call at 1. At that time, the Polish National Alliance on Victory Street gave last call at 1 and The Grille, on Summer, made last call at 1:30. The two establishments are around the corner from each other.
Although The Grille did practice crowd control and locked its doors to new patrons at this time, bargoers still flooded into the street and often became unruly. Tarsa noted in 2017 that this intensified when there was live entertainment.
Hoyt said the problems did not subside.
"During that meeting, the same issues in the Summer Street and Victory Street area were discussed and establishments voluntarily announced restricting entertainment and/or hours, which has not worked based on the continuing complaints," she wrote. "Since then, the neighborhood complaints/reports of over-consumption, open containers, litter, large crowds, fights, weapons, property damage, and other disturbances had continued."
The Grille's entertainment license for live musical entertainment was suspended for 120 days and the PNA's license was suspended for 60, both starting on May 3.
This suspension includes bands and DJs but allows karaoke.
The Grille was also forced to establish a no backpacks policy congruent with an existing PNA policy.
Both establishments were required to submit a list of employees including roles and titles and a list of TIPS-certified and crowd manager-certified employees by the close of business on May 6.
The Grille had to provide a date as to when its employees will be taking the crowd manager certification.
Both establishments met this deadline.
Hoyt said these rulings are consistent with the town's Liquor License Policy and Regulations.
Tags: entertainment license, license board, license suspension,
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