 William McCarty, owner of the Depot, was told by the state that he
could no longer get a special use permit to serve alcohol at events,
but would need a catering liquor license. The city of Lincoln does
not have a catering license class in its liquor ordinances.
The Restaurant at the Depot changed its business about a year and
a half ago and no longer keeps daily restaurant hours. The business
now focuses on catering events, only opening the restaurant to the
public on a few major holidays to serve a brunch buffet.
Since the changeover, McCarty has secured special event licenses
as needed for each event at which the business would serve alcohol.
Last year's total was nine events at $20 per event.
McCarty asked the council to consider adding a catering category.
He had some ideas about how it could be written, also suggested
modeling it after the state ordinance, but was open to however the
council would want to write it.
The state ordinance uses 40 percent of the restaurant license fee
to set the amount of the catering license. This would amount to
$450.
Another nearby business, the Maple Club, pays $500 a year. They
are regulated by the county.
The decision involved setting the number of licenses that would
be made available, the number of events allowed per year, on- or
off-site sales, amount of fee for the license, the percentage of
food sales that would be required, and permitted hours to serve
alcohol.
It also involved reviewing the impact on the number of other
licenses available.
McCarty's did not wish to speak for other catering businesses
that might apply for a license; however, most of their events are
hosted on-site and they have not had an event off-site where they
served alcohol, nor do they anticipate that occasion.
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There is one other business under similar circumstances that is
expected to seek a caterer's liquor license also. The owner of the
After Shock no longer owns the bar portion and but does banquets.
Two restaurant licenses would open up as Patel and McCarty, who
previously had restaurant licenses, pick up a caterer's license.
Kathy Horn suggested that the new caterer's class offer four
licenses in order for the city to be able to encourage similar new
businesses and not have to revisit the ordinance too soon.
Details of the proposed new caterer's class:
-
4 licenses available
-
$500 per year
-
65 percent sales in
food
-
Uses the Illinois
code definition of caterer
-
Limits number of
events at which alcohol is sold to 25 per year
-
Restricts sales and
consumption to on-site events only
-
Hours to serve
alcohol same as a restaurant: Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 2
a.m., same on Saturday, and Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
The ordinance could be brought to a vote on Sept. 6.
[Jan
Youngquist]
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