Feb

1

Kelly’s, slowly but surely

Posted by nathanael. Filed Under quality of life, restaurants 

Paul Berkeley, of the Allston Civic Association, on his qualms about Kelly’s that led to the earlier closing time.

“But I think there’s a need to balance quality of life with our businesses. The only thing I objected to was the hours of operation they were seeking. Originally, 3 a.m. was suggested, and we said that would be a disaster for us and for you, too.”

I’m a fairly close neighbor to this property. From my perspective, any business serving food and not alcohol is going to be fixing rather than creating the nightly mini-disasters that tend to roam the neighborhood at those hours.

Berkeley said that at times, he has grown weary of the number of late-night businesses that have sprung up along Harvard Avenue, a significant change from the full-service business district he new [sic] as a child.

“At the licensing board hearing, they always ask, ‘is there a public need,’ but if you look at the law, it says there has to be a public need, but it also should be in the common good. I always feel that that doesn’t get equal footing with consumer demand,” said Berkeley.

I don’t think this block of Harvard Ave is in a position to be making nostalgia-based arguments against prospective non-bar tenants, particularly a local chain like Kelly’s who have a fairly solid reputation. And I certainly don’t think empty storefronts can be viewed as a public need or a common good.

Some of the comments on this post of HM’s from back in 2008 imply these attitudes from the ACA aren’t new, or specific to Kelly’s.

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Comments

One Response to “Kelly’s, slowly but surely”

  1. Adam on February 2nd, 2010 9:15 am

    I’m really excited about this, thanks for the update!

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