“No dancing,” certainly no “adult dancers” and for sure “no scorpion bowls.”
That was the message Boston Licensing Board staff had for the many restaurants and bars in Allston-Brighton, where the city says residents have been sending in photos of “egregious” flouting of social-distancing rules — and the college kids haven’t even really come back yet.
The licensing board hauled into a virtual hearing first all of the city’s beer gardens, which received only a light talking-to, with both proprietors and the administration agreeing that the guidance from the state was “confusing.”
“We’re trying to figure this out just as much as you are,” license board executive secretary Lesley Delaney Hawkins told the beer gardeners at one point in response to questions about what level of food service the establishments have to have in order to serve drinks.
But the second hearing of the day that had the Allston-Brighton establishments didn’t have the same levels of congeniality. Hawkins told those restaurateurs there have been various “egregious violations” by many bars and restaurants in the neighborhoods, with live music, dancing and crowding.
“A number of these violations are simply blatant disregard for the requirements to be opened and operated during this pandemic,” Hawkins insisted. She said there have been “increasing numbers of reports of places operating as night clubs,” which are forbidden to open currently under state coronavirus rules.
Board Chair Kathleen Joyce said, there appears to be a “lack of understanding” that no shows are allowed, and no music other than in the background.
“So if there’s anyone on this phone that is on this call that’s aware of something that goes beyond background music you might want to discuss that with us,” Joyce said. “Dancers, dance floors are not allowed.”
She also took aim at “adult dancers,” and shared drinks like scorpion bowls. She added that these issues have to be addressed now, ahead of when college students return to that area in the coming weeks.
“You have to keep in mind you have to control crowds — people need to be seated, seated at tables, eating food and drinking,” Joyce said. “There’s no clubs, there’s no shows, there’s no dancing.”
And there are more hearings in this vein on tap for tomorrow, when the busy restaurants in yuppie-overrun South Boston and the swanky Seaport, and all establishments with club and veterans licenses will have to come before the board.
