LOWELL — The Lowell City Council unanimously requested a report examining the advantages and disadvantages of requiring all bars and restaurants in the city to close at midnight.
During the city council meeting on Aug. 11, Mayor Erik Gitschier introduced Motion 6.11, which requests that the city manager provide the city council with a report on the pros and cons of creating an ordinance requiring all bars and restaurants in Lowell to close at midnight. Councilor-at-Large Vesna Nuon seconded the motion.
Councilor John Descoteaux said he had received numerous calls about the proposal and asked Mayor Gitschier to clarify what the intent of the proposal was.
“It comes off as if you’re looking to do this and shut everybody down at midnight,” Councilor Descoteaux said.
Mayor Gitschier said most establishments are already closed by midnight, but those that remain open create public safety demands at a time when fewer police officers are working. He noted that restaurants and bars in the city used to have to hire police details if they remained open past midnight.
“I think that details should have to come in if people are coming in after midnight because right now we just cut our police force down,” Mayor Gitschier said. “We simply don’t have enough police officers to take care of all these places that are out of control in certain areas.”
Mayor Gitschier said patrons sometimes travel to Lowell after establishments in surrounding communities close, increasing business between midnight and 2:00 a.m. He said bars exceeding a certain occupancy should be required to hire police details and that also used to be the case.
“We had that before,” Mayor Gitschier said. “I remember going down the Shamrock. It was always you had to have a detail. You remember going down The Dubliner, there was a detail. There were details at places when we were kids. Brian’s Ivy Hall, there were details, you know, and now all of a sudden, I don’t know why the city went away from it, but I just think that we need to look into it.”
Council Descoteaux, a former bar owner, said that a citywide midnight closing time could discourage restaurants and other businesses from opening in Lowell and penalize responsible establishments.
“I do respect the mayor’s stance on this,” Council Descoteaux said. “My concern here is that for any prospective restaurant or business coming into the City of Lowell, it would make me feel like I’m going to go right past the Lowell Connector exit and go on to the next city or town. I believe, once again being a former bar owner myself, that the onus of responsibility is on the owner, and if they can’t be responsible and make sure their business is safe, then they shouldn’t be in the business. But are we going to penalize the pubs and the restaurants that want to stay open?”
Councilor Corey Robinson supported studying the issue but argued that restaurants serving late-night meals in addition to alcohol should not necessarily be treated like bars or nightclubs that are more likely to generate repeated police calls.
“I think those are two different environments and atmospheres altogether,” Councilor Robinson said.
Councilor Robinson requested that the report include the number of police calls made to each bar and restaurant within the city limits during the last 12 months to identify establishments creating the greatest public safety demands. Mayor Gitschier said that should be included in the report.
Councilor Sean McDonough said he also received a number of phone calls about the matter from his constituents, some of whom are bar owners, and reminded them that the motion represented “study time, not act time.”
Council McDonough requested information about economic activity generated after midnight and the cost of police responding to late-night incidents. He also suggested restoring regular meetings among bar owners, police, the License Commission, and city council representatives.
Councilor-at-Large Rita Mercier noted that she previously requested consideration of separate legal classifications for bars and restaurants. Councilor Sokhary Chau similarly said the report should distinguish between nightclubs, alcohol-focused bars, and family restaurants that serve alcohol after midnight.
All 10 councilors present voted in favor of the motion.
