NYC bar managers frustrated by months-long wait for outdoor liquor licenses
Bar managers in a popular New York City restaurant district say they're losing out on business as they wait for their outdoor liquor licenses to be approved.
The State Liquor Authority told CBS News New York most applications are processed within seven to ten days, but business owners on Stone Street in Lower Manhattan say they've been waiting months.
"We're taking a major hit"
Stone Street is closed to vehicular traffic year-round, but it got caught up in red tape with the city's new outdoor dining regulations, one restaurant manager says.
"We've been lumped in with the city streets, and as you can see, we are not a city street. We are not an active street for cars," said Christina Johnston, general manager of Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina.
As a result, the restaurant is forced to display "no alcohol" signs on outdoor tables, and customers can only get alcoholic drinks if they're inside the building.
Restauranteur Ronan Downs owns five restaurants on the historic cobblestone alley.
"They've spoken to our lawyers, and the bills keep mounting up," Downs said. "Yes, we're taking a major hit. But it's also a huge hit for New York City. Thousands of tourists come down here daily, and they're expecting to have a glass of wine, pint of Guinness."
He says the fix is simple.
"We're hoping that very soon they will finally sign a piece of paper," he said. "We'd like to put our best foot forward and show tourists, people who live here what we have to offer."
