beer tent looks like, so here goes:
Posted on 06/08/2002 3:55:50 AM PDT by 2Trievers
CONCORD — Following an almost non-stop day of negotiations and an emergency meeting of the State Liquor Commission yesterday, an agreement was reached that will allow three Laconia restaurants to open reduced-size beer tents for Motorcycle Week in Laconia. The three-member commission on Thursday denied extended drinking area permits after listening to public safety concerns expressed by the Department of Safety and the Attorney General’s Office. It was concern over increased alcoholic beverage drinking and the possibility of violence over the coming week that worried state officials. But during yesterday’s hastily called commission meeting, Assistant Attorney General Ann Rice said that since the tents have been reduced in size and the same number of private security personnel will remain in place, Attorney General Philip McLaughlin and Safety Commissioner Richard Flynn decided not to oppose a motion that the commission reconsider its prior action. Granted conditional permits were the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound, J.T.’s Bar-B-Q and Roadhog Saloon and the Broken Spoke Saloon. The commission initially denied permits to five establishments in Laconia. Only three sought to appeal the decision. A hearing on a motion to order the commission to reconsider its action was originally scheduled in Merrimack County Superior Court, but Judge Kathleen McGuire ordered an immediate meeting of the State Liquor Commission when she was told of the pending agreement. Under the agreement, J.T.’s and the Broken Spoke will drop their tent capacities to 1,000 when normally they would have held 2,500 people. The Lobster Pound will drop from 2,000 to 1,000 patrons. “My clients are happy that they will be able to continue to operate; obviously they would have preferred to operate under the original limits they have had in the past, but under the circumstances and given the time constraints, we feel it’s a fair compromise,” said attorney Roy Tilsley, who represented the establishments. Commission Chairman John Byrne said the commission did deny the permits out of safety concerns, but commissioners were willing to reverse their original decision based on the withdrawal of state objections. “In light of the fact that the attorney general is now withdrawing his objection to the application as it has been modified, we will rely on his expertise as the chief law enforcement officer of the state as our primary reason for now approving the modified application,” the order read. But Byrne said the commission would be on duty 24 hours a day over the next week if further action is needed. The order requires security to be maintained at a ratio of one security officer to 50 patrons. The permit will be revoked upon failure to provide an accurate accounting of the number of patrons inside the tents or failure to abide by any local or state regulation. Tilsley said security forces are comprised of professionals either from prison correctional officers or full-time security firms. Security cameras and lights will also be in place, the commission was promised. “We do have a reduction, but we are going to go forward and do it well,” said Harvey Chernin, owner of the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound. Serving hours will be 11 a.m. to last call at 12:45 a.m.
Through June 8-16, this year, BTW.
Some parking lot!
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