Smaller restaurants in Natick will now be able to serve beer and wine, and town officials hope recent liquor law changes are the first step towards more business opportunities in town.
On Friday, Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law a bill reducing the minimum seating in Natick for a beer and wine license to 15 from 50. The law is one of many recent tweaks intended to make opening a restaurant in Natick more feasible and attractive.
“This is great news for the town of Natick and for the economic development of the downtown area,” said Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, in a release. “Natick Center is quickly becoming a vibrant destination for dining and entertainment. This bill will allow smaller restaurants to offer beer and wine to its patrons and attract more customers.”
The new bill tweaks the type of liquor licenses allowed. The town has 34 liquor licenses, and that will not change. However, while before only seven of those were allowed to be beer-and-wine-only licenses, now up to 17 of the 34 licenses could be beer-and-wine-only.
Requirements for the all alcohol licenses have not changed, and remain more stringent.
Not all of the 34 licenses are in use.
Linsky was one of four legislators who filed the home rule petition that was requested by Town Meeting in Spring 2011.
Over the summer, the Board of Selectmen changed their own alcohol policies and procedures, agreeing that the food/alcohol revenue split at restaurants should be moved from the current 80/20 ratio to 65/35, and bar stools should count as seats toward required seating for liquor licenses.
Selectman Josh Ostroff said the new laws are not just for Natick Center, but could create opportunities in South Natick, along Rte. 9, or any location that won’t allow extensive seating.
“In all cases, it allows a smaller restaurant, perhaps in a historic building, to be viable for evening business,” Ostroff said. “It’s part of a broader strategy of the town to enliven the town.”
Matt Comella, whose family Italian restaurant chain is opening a new location on Main Street later this year, said the rule change will allow the newest Comella’s location to have beer and wine.
“We plan to go for one,” Comella told the Daily News in February. “It’s a compliment to our meal if somebody is dining in, so we’ll go for a beer and wine license.”
(Ian B. Murphy can be reached at 508-626-3964 or imurphy@wickedlocal.com. Follow Natick news on Twitter at @IanBMurphy.)
Smaller restaurants in Natick will now be able to serve beer and wine, and town officials hope recent liquor law changes are the first step towards more business opportunities in town.
On Friday, Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law a bill reducing the minimum seating in Natick for a beer and wine license to 15 from 50. The law is one of many recent tweaks intended to make opening a restaurant in Natick more feasible and attractive.
“This is great news for the town of Natick and for the economic development of the downtown area,” said Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, in a release. “Natick Center is quickly becoming a vibrant destination for dining and entertainment. This bill will allow smaller restaurants to offer beer and wine to its patrons and attract more customers.”
The new bill tweaks the type of liquor licenses allowed. The town has 34 liquor licenses, and that will not change. However, while before only seven of those were allowed to be beer-and-wine-only licenses, now up to 17 of the 34 licenses could be beer-and-wine-only.
Requirements for the all alcohol licenses have not changed, and remain more stringent.
Not all of the 34 licenses are in use.
Linsky was one of four legislators who filed the home rule petition that was requested by Town Meeting in Spring 2011.
Over the summer, the Board of Selectmen changed their own alcohol policies and procedures, agreeing that the food/alcohol revenue split at restaurants should be moved from the current 80/20 ratio to 65/35, and bar stools should count as seats toward required seating for liquor licenses.
Selectman Josh Ostroff said the new laws are not just for Natick Center, but could create opportunities in South Natick, along Rte. 9, or any location that won’t allow extensive seating.
“In all cases, it allows a smaller restaurant, perhaps in a historic building, to be viable for evening business,” Ostroff said. “It’s part of a broader strategy of the town to enliven the town.”
Matt Comella, whose family Italian restaurant chain is opening a new location on Main Street later this year, said the rule change will allow the newest Comella’s location to have beer and wine.
“We plan to go for one,” Comella told the Daily News in February. “It’s a compliment to our meal if somebody is dining in, so we’ll go for a beer and wine license.”
(Ian B. Murphy can be reached at 508-626-3964 or imurphy@wickedlocal.com. Follow Natick news on Twitter at @IanBMurphy.)
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