Should full liquor bottle service be allowed at Worcester restaurants?

WORCESTER — A city regulatory body is considering allowing bars and restaurants to offer full liquor bottle service for events.

On Thursday, the License Commission discussed a request to allow bottle service from lawyer Mark Borenstein of Bowditch & Dewey. Borenstein initially made the proposal to consider allowing bottle service in January on behalf of the owners of 961 Restaurant & Lounge at Union Station.

With commissioners giving mixed opinions on whether bottle service would help bars and restaurants or present safety and operational challenges, they decided to delay a vote to March 14 so the law department could present a draft regulation.

The city allows the purchase of wine and beer bottles from bars and restaurants, but has restricted liquor bottle service since 2018.

At the Thursday License Commission meeting, Borenstein said bottle service is a new opportunity for businesses to improve their operations under appropriate regulations.

Borenstein said any establishment requesting to hold bottle service would need to go before the License Commission. He said bottle service could be ideal for private events, and that he has heard clients say customers have lost business to Boston establishments because they offer the more premium experience of bottle service.

Borenstein acknowledged that overserving alcohol is a potential concern for commissioners, but he said establishment employees would still be required to have state certification and that employees may be even more alert to overserving with bottle service.

"I've spoken to some clients anecdotally and they actually said it would be easier to serve larger groups with bottles because they'll know how much alcohol is actually consumed as opposed to cocktails, where they don't know how many drinks that they consumed at a particular time," Borenstein said.

Referencing recent closures in the Canal District and Shrewsbury Street, in part due to staffing issues, License Commission chair Anthony Vigliotti said bottle service would further strain staff.

Borenstein said expanding services could help establishments make more profit through events and therefore hire more people.

"They have corporate events; people have asked for this more premium experience on Shrewsbury Street," Borenstein said. "If they have the opportunity to provide bottle service, they can hire more staff because it's a much more elevated experience."

Commissioner Charran Fisher said she supports bottle service because she is "pro-business," lamenting people taking their business to Boston, Providence or Springfield. She agreed that bottle service at a table is easier to monitor than a customer going back and forth to the bar for shots.

"I really think it's unfortunate that Worcester, the second-largest city, that we're not supporting our small businesses with bottle service," Fisher said.

Julius Kumah, owner of Noamesco International Bar & Lounge, suggested that establishments could provide lock services to prevent overservice. He testified that patrons have driven out of the city for bottle service.

Sgt. Thomas Needham of the Police Department's alcohol enforcement unit said police have previously recorded video evidence of patrons attempting to sneak out of establishments with bottles they purchased, although it is illegal for patrons to take home liquor bottles they purchased at bars or restaurants.

Needham said establishments' No. 1 excuse for violations is them not having enough staff and that some have attempted to offer bottle service after the city ended it.

"With full knowledge that those offenses are a violation of the rules and regulations of the commission, they're still doing it right under their noses," Needham said. "If you approve it, who's to say, 'Well we didn't have enough people to come in this night,. That's why we couldn't monitor this.'"

Vigliotti also lamented the lack of input from members of the public, with only Kumah and a representative from the Hilton Garden Inn in Worcester giving comment, along with a written testimonial in favor from Wormtown Brewery.

"I don't understand why there's a lack of concern about a major situation like this. It disturbs me," Vigliotti said.

Nobody spoke against allowing bottle service.

Vigliotti said he had reservations about supporting bottle service without a draft regulation and more input.

Commissioner Maritza Cruz said she wanted the commission to proceed with caution and welcomed more feedback.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester commission debates allowing liquor bottle service