Supporters to ask Legislature for later last call for bars

By BILL SMITH
New Hampshire Union Leader

Published Mar 18, 2013 at 3:00 am (Updated Mar 17, 2013)

MANCHESTER - Folks on the late shift could stop for a cocktail on the way home under a plan for a later last call for drinking in New Hampshire.

State law currently fixes a 1 a.m. closing time for establishments with a license to serve alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the premises.

The state Legislature is being asked to extend the hours until 2 a.m.

Supporters say it makes sense for New Hampshire to align closing time with nearby jurisdictions.

State laws in Massachusetts and Vermont allow bars to remain open until 2 a.m. In Maine bars must close by 1 a.m., but can open at 6 a.m. In Quebec, closing time is 3 a.m.

Backers of extended hours for drinking establishments say it will increase employment, provide more meals tax revenue and give cities and towns a weapon in the war on problem or under-aged drinking.

With the later closing hour, any bar, lounge or restaurant which serves someone who is already drunk or who is under 21 years old would automatically lose the privilege of the later closing hour for three years.

Advocates of later last call suggest it is is a powerful incentive for license holders to be on guard against serving the under-aged or the inebriated.

"Local communities are struggling with these issues, especially in the college communities," said State Rep. Ruth Heyden, D-Milford. "It's the whole issue of looking at alcohol, do we have the will to say we need to deal with this problem."

"New Hampshire is one of the few states in the country where these establishments close at 1 a.m.," said Rep. Emily Sandblade, R-Manchester. "There are 47 states where they stay open until at least 2 a.m. We are losing business along the border areas, especially near Massachusetts."

In Massachusetts and Vermont, local authorities have the power to specify an earlier closing time, either generally or for specific establishments.

The New Hampshire proposal would require local communities to pass an ordinance to opt-out of the later state-wide closing time.

Sandblade said early estimates say businesses could see a 10 percent increase in revenues by staying open the extra hour.

"We surveyed business owners, and half of them said they would be interested in staying open until 2 a.m.," said Sandblade. "There were some who felt their town just shut down too early to make it worthwhile, but we would expect those in the more urban areas like Manchester to want to stay open."

But Heden said that later closing hours could mean people who have already been drinking will continue to drink, a particular concern in college communities and for people working to reduce drunken driving.

"People in my community, in Milford, are really concerned about people driving home under the influence" Heder said. "This is a real issue, at Keene (State) with their loss of a student recently, they've instigated some really good programs,"

In 2007, a Keene student was accidentally shot to death in an incident police blamed on under-aged drinking.

The proposal to allow sale of liquor by-the-drink until 2 a.m. is House Bill 175. It is expected to come to a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Heder said she is looking into whether it would be possible to amend the proposal so that a community would have to accept the later closing hour before it could take effect.

"It would encourage the towns to have a nice conversation about what to do , to weigh the issues and to agree as a community how do we want to approach this," she said.

billsmith@unionleader.com

New Hampshire Union Leader staff reporter Paul Feely contributed to this report.

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Greg Barrett said:

I am not crazy about 2pm but, businesses need as much help as possible to survive these days.
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dennis buckley said:

The majority of people in a bar at 1:00 am, do not need an additional hour to get drunk...because most of them already are!
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JOHN DOEHNER said:

Toots Shor: "If you can't get drunk by midnight, you're not doing it right."
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Paul Stafford said:

Totally unnecessary. There are plenty of businesses struggling and bars are not at the top of my list of concern. There are enough problems in downtown Manchester especially during the summer months. Let's not focus on a common sense plan to bring a real world solution to the reality of marijuana eventually becoming legalized, lets focus on people getting more drunk. Because alcohol does not kill enough people or ruin enough families.
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lloyd clement said:

Who is the government to decide when a business can close, make last call, what to serve, to allow smoking, etc.?
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Dana Iverson said:

It's just another way for the municipalities to create more revenue, more accidents, DWIs ETC.... means more lawyers and so on also would thrive. What is the purpose of a bar?? In case you don't understand the question, I'll explain, A bar is for drinking alcohol which is a mind altering substance. You usually drive your car, truck or motorcycle there and park in their parking lot, you go in the bar and drink, then you get in your car and drive home, The average person legally would be able to drink one beer an hour to stay under the limit of being under the influence of alcohol and driving, know anyone who drinks like that, few maybe but the majority don't. Maybe you make it home without being pulled over by the cop's or worse maybe you kill some one's family or yourself. The only reason alcohol is not outlawed is because of the revenue it produces, unfortunately it is big/huge business for the states, communities and country as far as that is concerned and because of this, it will never be banned. Just think about it... it's all about the money, Money,money,money makes the world go round. Alcohol abuse ruins families, friendships and relationships on a constant basis 24/7 even when abused at home, plain and simple, like they need another hour to step up the process.
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Bob Paulding said:

I always wondered why and now I know, big brother! Life is more than just working a dayshift. I and many others have worked off shift hours and are often shut out. It's not all about drinking, its the other businesses too that revolve around these establishments . A few Years ago for example, a couple of us working a grave yard shift wanted to call out for a pizza for lunch. To my surprise everything was closed. Seems like the municipalities have been losing out on revenue. I wouldn't mind 3 AM.
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Dana Iverson said:

Hey Bob, How often do you go order a pizza from a bar really, one time a few years ago ??
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George LeMont said:

Lloyd that would be our new government Gods who can make us buy Obamacare on one hand, despite the objection of 70% of the population, and tell us what to eat, drink, or smoke on the other. The same leaders can also get Americans killed and get away with it with such brilliant ideas as Fast & Furious, Benghazi Libya, and open borders with special rights for illegal aliens who can break our laws at will with no price to pay other than being rewarded. Get with the program already and join the Borg. It only hurts if you value your freedom or want to start a business so your family can prosper.
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lloyd clement said:

Dana: Nobody is forced to go to bars and nobody is forced to drink.
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Daniel Bridgeland said:

Consider this with a 1 AM closing time patrons are slamming down drinks to beat last call. Approximtly 20 minutes after closing time they have to leave. Add another hour, this allows people more time to sober up before leaving, just a thought. Also not everyone works during the day time. I worked 2nd shift for several year and after getting out at 11:30 PM and getting to the bar around midnight. This gave me 1 hour to drink, and possibly drink faster than I should have. The extra hour gives patrons the ablity to better pace themselves.
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Dana Iverson said:

Hey I wasn't bashing anyone about responsible drinking, it's about the vast majority that aren't. I worked the second shift for years myself, the only thing I wanted to do when I got out at 2AM was to go home and sleep. Lloyd, some people don't need to be forced to drink or go to the bar's till 1 or 2 AM. I'd bet most of the people that are there closing the place that don't work second shift. I was just saying. I bet if the bars put a sobriety check point at the exit of the bars and required every patron to blow into it before they were givin keys, the majority would fail, and the extra hour would only increase this ratio. Been there done it lived thru it and am very fortunate to not have hurt anyone else in the process but myself and a few or my cars.
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lloyd clement said:

Dana: You just don't get it do you? The issue here is big govt. telling you how to live and how to regulate your own private business. You have no facts, nor to you have proof that govt. regulation restricting a last call time is beneficial to the common good. There are plenty of other states that have late hours for bars, NH has to get with the times. It is time that people be responsible and no longer govt.
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Supporters to ask Legislature for later last call for bars

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