Terrace Cafe Get the OK for Late Closing on New Year's Eve

For those looking for to stay local on New Year’s Eve, the Terrace Cafe has received permission from the Wrentham Board of Selectmen to operate until 1:30 a.m. and serve alcohol until 12:30 a.m. to celebrate the end of 2012. The vote to allow for a later closing time and last call was approved unanimously 5-0.

The restaurant located at Wrentham Common usually closes at 12:30 a.m but the expected midnight toast is believed to make clearing the building out by the regular closing time a little more difficult. 

A larger influx of customers beyond capacity is not expected as the restaurant will be reservation only on the final evening of the year.

Although no members of the board objected to the one-day time change, Selectman Michael Carroll did propose a friendly amendment to make the closing time and last call contingent on the approval of the Wrentham Fire and Police Department chiefs. While Carroll did not have any issues with the extended hours nor have there any incidents of note at the cafe, the move was designed to be more procedural then something against the specific applicant.

“I think standing operation procedure, anytime we amend a license or make a change to something where we would of seeked the input of enforcement authorities, that we should ask them because often they might have something that’s just a lingering issue…but they may not have voiced a concern with the licensing authority that we should consider when we make any chances,” Carrol said.

Selectmen Stephan Langley objected the amendment, citing the lack of meetings for the rest of the year, the limited time to revote between now and December 31, and the lack of issues at the restaurant

“I think there’s been no problems at the cafe. The fact that were only allowing the premise to be open an hour later than normal and putting last call 45 minutes later than normal on a night that is a later night than most other nights, I don’t think it's necessary to go back to the fire chief or police chief on that,” Langley said.

While Selectman Chair Joe Botaish agreed it is standard procedure to talk to the fire and police chiefs before changing the licensing agreement, he also did not see a reason to delay a decision for an establishment in good standing and no notable incidents to report.

The fire and police deparments will still be asked for their input but it will not be effect the decision to allow for the later closing time.