At it’s November 9th meeting, the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council voted 5-2 in favor of a live entertainment license application for Ristorante Lucia.
Owner Donato Frattaroli presented with his attorney indicating the desire for two instruments, one vocalist and a comedian in the basement portion of his 3-story restaurant on Hanover Street. The license would be for 7 days a week up to 11:00 pm. Live entertainment licenses need to go both to the Zoning Board of Appeal as well as the Mayor’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing.
The discussion centered around the risks of setting a precedent for all North End restaurants versus the individual merits of the applicant. Several neighborhood attendees vouched that Lucia’s Frattaroli has been a long-time responsible business owner and should not be penalized by some of the bad apples that might abuse such a license. Others expressed concern that it will be difficult to turn down future entertainment license requests. A comment was made that the North End should not become an entertainment district and that this license is a move in that direction.
Live entertainment has not been a standard offering in the North End area. Fiore on Hanover Street has a license for a piano. One audience member indicated that Bacco also has a piano.
Donato indicated that his restaurant attracts an older customer base and the entertainment will be soft music, not like the Hard Rock Cafe. Lucias is next door to Nico Restaurant which has a 70s disco theme.
As a precautionary measure, the council added a conditional 6-month probationary period to its support.The legality of such a measure was questioned, although Attorney Overson thought such a contract would be binding.
This application will be taken up by the residents’ association (NEWRA) at its November 24th ZLC meeting and December 10th monthly meeting. The zoning hearing will be on January 12, 2010.
If the person who made the comment about Bacco knows for a fact that the restaurant has an illegal piano, i.e. is operating without a live entertainment license then he/she should call the licensing board and or the police. If anyone else has any knowledge of this violation, they should do the same.
The North End is already an "entertainment destination" according to the Globe and other publications. Of course, other places will want an entertainment license, but the neighborhood does not have to support business owners who are not good neighbors and do the wrong thing. Everyone, including the business owners themselves, know who is a good neighbor and who thumbs their nose at the residents. Maybe it is time we showed neighborhood support for the "good guys & gals" and thumbed our collective noses at the rest of them.
Donato has lived in the North End and been a business owner for many years (much longer then the 2005 date cited as when he purchased Lucia’s from another family member). He ran the taste of the North end and donated the proceeds to charity, primarily organizations in the North End and continues to donate personally and from his business to every group that asks for his help. He is truly a good neighbor and should be support by EVERYONE in the neighborhood.
NEWNC should have tabled the vote on on Lucia’s live entertainment license, as well as 16 Hull Street, because they did NOT publish an agenda prior to the meeting. Publicizing the agenda would have informed the neighborhood and the abutters that these requests, which potentially have significant impact for the future of the North End, would be voted upon. If the agenda had been published, those who have concerns (or those who support) would have been able to give valuable, "on the record," input to the council prior to their vote.