The last dry town on the Vineyard could be turning wet. The Chilmark selectmen have set a public hearing for August 27 to explore the idea of allowing alcohol sales at restaurants in the up-Island town.
The last dry town on the Vineyard could be turning wet.
The Chilmark selectmen have set a public hearing for August 27 to explore the idea of allowing alcohol sales at restaurants in the up-Island town. The move comes after selectmen received a request from the owners of the Beach Plum Inn and Home Port restaurants to bring liquor licenses to their establishments.
“We are looking to enhance the Home Port Restaurant and the Beach Plum Inn and Restaurant by providing our guests the ability to purchase alcohol directly from the restaurants,” owners Bob and Sarah Nixon wrote in an August 5 letter.
“We would like to assist the town, in any way that we can, in working towards alcoholic liquor licenses for Chilmark.”
Still in the early stages, the public hearing is meant to “generate discussion and find out whether it’s important to people in town,” selectman Bill Rossi said at the board’s weekly meeting on Tuesday. “This is a big issue.”
In order for liquor licenses to be distributed, the town would have to file a home rule petition with the state legislature seeking the right to place a question on the ballot at the annual town election. A move to file the petition could be done as soon as a special town meeting scheduled for Sept. 30, executive secretary Tim Carroll said.
Selectman Warren Doty said he wanted to hear more from Chilmarkers.
“I have not heard enough interest from the citizens of the town of Chilmark in changing our liquor law,” he said. “I need to know if this is an issue of importance to the people of my town. I haven’t heard anybody say that.”
The Beach Plum, Home Port and Chilmark Tavern are the only large sit-down restaurants in Chilmark.
West Tisbury was the most recent Island town to approve the sale of beer and wine, in 2011. Chilmark and Gosnold are the last dry towns in Dukes County.
Comments
Chilmark Tavern too, quite
Joe ChilmarkChilmark Tavern too, quite better than all of them, maybe they can start by providing decent food!
Of course they would like to
Mr. B. ChilmarkOf course they would like to "assist." They are the ones who stand to profit--though I doubt they could profit more than they do at present from the comically extravagant "corkage" fees they charge for watching me uncork and pour my own wine. You may be sure I never tip on the corkage fee, folks. At least the meal is served to me.
If you allow liquor to be
SJ ChilmarkIf you allow liquor to be served in restaurants, it will be difficult for the Town to turn down the sale of liquor at the Chilmark and Menemsha stores (assuming they want to), as well as the possibility of someone applying for a permit to open a new up-island liquor store.
This is a slippery slope and
Peter ChilmarkThis is a slippery slope and as such requires a lot of analysis. Three restaurants stand to gain from the decision. That does not seem like much of a majority to me. Personally, I like bringing my own wine. The corkage fee is still a better deal than the mark-up on the price of purchasing a bottle and you drink exactly what you want. How many DUI's has Chilmark had in the past 30 years or so? Hmmm.
As a former resident of
DanW Chilmark, off South RoadAs a former resident of Vineyard Haven, and one concerned about a potential change in town character because of the licenses issued, I find it hard to point a finger at that decision for any changes in the town's vibe due to that vote. Perhaps I don't experience subtle differences that I might have had I continued to live on Main Street -but I suspect not as I still spend a great deal of time in VH in most hours.
The current, public benefit of temperance laws seem to me to reside only in one's desire to BYOB and save some money at the direct expense of the service staff and owners of the restaurants involved. If Chilmark ever resembles Thames Street in Newport it will occur far after each of us pass our mortal coil. The slippery slope argument again falls as the least convincing. Bring on the wine lists!
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