City sees liquor licenses as a means to attract new restaurants

 

Bedford has had its fill

City sees liquor licenses as a means to attract new restaurants

By MIKE LESKO
Staff Writer

Aug. 18, 2005

BEDFORD —  Liquor licenses can help lure a restaurant to a community, but they are not always easy to obtain.

With 14 already, Bedford has reached its quota for liquor licenses, which are based on the population of a town and are regulated by Ohio's Division of Liquor Control.

"When a restaurant wants to come to an area, one of the issues is liquor licenses," City Manager Bob Reid said. "You can't just get another one whenever you want.

"If an entrepreneur wanted to come into downtown Bedford, I'm confident that he or she would like to have a liquor license," he said.

Mayor Dan Pocek said he hoped the city could attract a restaurant to the downtown area this year, which could help stimulate more business there. He and other town leaders realize it is easier said than done.

Yet there are ways of getting an extra liquor license —  by going outside the quota.

For communities with less than a 75,000 population, Reid said additional licenses can be obtained if a restaurant seats at least 140 people or has at least 4,000 square feet of floor space, according to state law.

In other words, larger establishments have a leg up on the competition. Reid said that is how five businesses got liquor licenses when Legacy Village opened in Lyndhurst.

For the rest of the story, see your local Sun newspaper.

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