Boston Issues 55 New Liquor Licenses
The approval rating for Gov. Mitt Romney goes from really crappy to slightly crappy with the last-minute passage of a new law authorizing 55 new liquor licenses for Boston—25 all-alcohol licenses and 30 wine and beer licenses. The city currently has 970 (650 all-alcohol and 320 wine and beer). The new licenses have the restriction that they cannot be sold or transferred. The licenses are slated for anywhere but the North End and Back Bay.
With the cost of all-alcohol licenses hitting $200,000-300,000 and beer and wine licenses reaching $70,000, the new licenses are a godsend for young restaurants that have been unable to get one for the last several years. Applications for the new licenses cost $200 and will have annual fees of $1500-2000.
