WESTFIELD – The License Commission voted last night to expand the liquor license and entertainment license for Paddy’s Irish Pub located on Elm Street.
Partner Tom Murphy presented details of the pub’s owners petition to allow the use of the second floor area in the three-story building at 110 Elm St., which was formerly the location of Piccolo’s Ristorante, for special events.
The owners had run afoul of the city’s occupancy permit when police responded to a college-age party being held on the second floor, which at that time had an occupancy permit for only three people. That permit was based upon the owner’s intent to use the second floor only for an office area.
Murphy said the business owner have now obtained a new occupancy permit for up to 70 people from the Building Department and Fire Department. Murphy said the owners now plan to use the space for special events, such as birthday and anniversary parties, and private events. The Westfield Rotary Club is currently using that space for its weekly meetings.
The License Commission voted 3-0 to amend both the liquor and entertainment licenses now in effect for the first floor Irish-style pub to include usage of the second floor space.
Commission Chairman John Gaudrault strongly urged Murphy to contact the License Department staff at city hall “if you plan to do anything different” to avoid a repeat of the prior situation.
“You have an occupancy permit for up to 70 people signed by the building inspector and deputy (fire) chief, so it looks like you’re good to go,” Gaudrault said.
In other business the commission continued an information hearing of an incident which occurred on the sidewalk in front of the Fired Up bar on Elm Street.
The information hearing is the first step in determining if there was a violation of the conditions attached to a liquor license.
The commission opened the informational hearing by reading police reports detailing the circumstances of an incident in which a female, later determined to be a Fired Up patron, beat a male, who had asked her for a cigarette, knocking him to the ground and pummeling him with blows to the head and face.
The female patron was arrested on charges of assault and battery and with being a disorderly person. During the booking process a small plastic bag with a white powder, identified as cocaine, was found in her possession. Possession of a class B narcotic was added to the charges against her.
The hearing was continued because the bar owner argued that the police report, read at the January commission meeting, had been modified and asked that the minutes of the January meeting be reviewed.
Commission Christopher Mowatt asked why the assault victim was issued a trespass order and that he would want to have further discussion about what went on inside the bar before the disturbance occurred on the sidewalk.
Gaudrault called for a motion to table the matter.
“I want to clarify the record, so I’m asking that we table the discussion until the next meeting to allow time for the secretary to clarify the documents and read the minutes of the last meeting,” Gaudrault said. That motion was approved by a 3-0 vote.
