A highly restrictive state liquor law has made it even harder for the New York City restaurant industry to recover from the coronovirus epidemic, restaurant operators told The Post.
Under current law, new or revitalized restaurants and pubs outside New York City can obtain a temporary liquor permit within 30 days, while the state liquor authority reviews the applicant’s request for a full license – a process that is four to six Can take anywhere from month to month.
But unlike its peers in other parts of the state, Big Apple restaurants that want to open or reopen are banned from obtaining temporary permits to sell contraband under the law, which the SLA’s month-long review A two-year license is pending to be granted. Selling alcohol.
Mermaid Inn in East Village is a case in point.
The owners of the Mermaid Inn closed the well-known East Village seafood restaurant last September and surrendered the license of the restaurant to SLA after 17 years of business.
At the time, the owners believed that the Mermaid Inn’s doors were closed in view of the economic downturn in the city amid COVID restrictions.
Mermaid Inn co-owner Daniel Abrams said, “The news was so bleak and quiet, I couldn’t see the way forward.”
In a twist, Abrams recently decided to reorganize the lease with the building’s landlord and reopen the Mermaid Inn, reducing COVID and seeing more foot traffic and economic activity.
But Abrams may not be allowed temporary liquor from the SLA, which has delayed the reopening of the Mermaid Inn.
“What is the purpose of opening a restaurant without serving alcohol? If you can’t serve a glass of wine with oyster, then diners will go elsewhere, ”he said.
Abrams also said sales account for 40 percent of the restaurant’s revenue, money that helps pay bills and keep eateries alive.
More restrictive treatment of the city’s restaurants under the state’s alcohol and beverage control law is a result of complaints from city residents and lawmakers who went to jail against the proliferation of bars in some neighborhoods, sources familiar with the law said.
In his 2021 state address, scandal government Andrew Kyomo proposed granting temporary liquor permits to the city’s eateries “to enable the business to quickly earn revenue” amid the epidemic, noting that a booze license Getting can be complicated and time-consuming
But Cuomo’s proposed relief for the city’s restaurants was cut from the recently passed state budget by the legislature.
A spokesman said, “The SLA recognizes the difficulties faced by bar and restaurant owners during this crisis and we will continue to do all we can to accommodate the extraordinary circumstances that arise.”
Restaurant advocates said state lawmakers should not put a cork in the Big Apple’s pandemic recovery. He estimates that more than 5,000 bars and restaurants have closed during the COVID outbreak, and it is uncertain how many will reopen.
Mermaid Inn & NYC Hospitality Association lawyer Robert Buchman said the current rule discriminates against city eateries, compared to counterparts in the rest of the state, and is unnecessarily slowing the reopening of restaurants.
“Some idiots can’t open because of this silly law. It’s a big issue. Bookman said that in a week I don’t hear from five restaurants that will open because of the lack of liquor permits.”
“We have more women entrepreneurs, more minority business owners in New York City. This rule has a really discriminatory effect. “
Abrams and Buchman urged the legislature to pass a law to allow city restaurants to obtain temporary liquor licenses for the city’s post-economic economic revival instead of stalls.
State lawmakers monitoring the law affecting New York City had no immediate comment.
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