Faced with the realization that Brookline is running out of liquor licenses, an advisory committee is recommending that the town either ask the state for more, or abolish the quota system altogether, the Brookline Tab is reporting.
The Board of Selectmen appointed the license review committee a year ago to address the shortage of available licenses as well as update the town’s current 20-year-old laws regarding how beer, wine and liquor can be served in restaurants. The town does not license any establishments to serve alcohol without food.
Under the rules set up by the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, Brookline is now allowed 63 full and 12 beer and wine only licenses – about one per 1,000 residents. The latest Census earned the city one additional full license.
The Tab reports that town officials are worried that if they run out of licenses, there will be delays in opening new restaurants. Also, if no licenses are available from the town, the existing licenses will become a valuable commodity to be bought and sold between restaurants.
