It seems that Mayor Walsh is making a play to level the drinking field.
According to BostInno, new legislation is granting Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill and Roxbury a total of 75 new liquor licenses. In Boston, these licenses have historically been finite and bequeathed to a new establishment only when relinquished by another establishment.
Although the original idea was to obtain 150 new licenses, this is still good news. Especially for the areas on the receiving end. These neighborhoods are getting a shot in the arm because they've been zoned by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) as Main Streets Districts. To get people to go to these areas, they need something to do. And by doing, they mean drinking. To start. When people come to a destination for entertainment, they tend to want to stay there to live and work.
Historically, neighborhoods such as Back Bay and the North End own 20 percent of all existing liquor licenses. The new bill to increase the number of Boston licenses from 1,044 to 1,119 gives the opportunity to spread opportunity to surrounding communities. Currently, Mattapan and Roxbury only have 12 licenses.
Bostonians will soon get a host of new options for evenings out. And if you're wondering what the options are now, check out this handy map to measure distance from liquor (your home not included) from our friends at Bostonography.
· Boston Neighborhoods Set to Receive 75 More Liquor Licenses [BostInno]
· Meet the Conference Commitee That May Help Pop the Top off Boston's Liquor License Longing [BostInno]
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