Harbour Nights Denied Liquor License
The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce has received notification from the Liquor Licensing Authority that the group application for an occasional liquor license for Harbour Nights, as submitted on their behalf by the City of Hamilton, has been denied.
Chamber Executive Director Joanne MacPhee noted: “We are naturally disappointed, but we respect the Magistrate’s decision and understand that under current legislation such an application could not be considered. Hind sight is always twenty, twenty and it is now evident we should have sought a legal opinion before perusing this particular application process, as now so much time and energy has been wasted.”
Mrs. MacPhee concluded by stating, “We strongly believe there is still a bigger issue at stake here. If Bermuda wants to be competitive and create an environment which is welcoming and responsive to our guests’ expectations, then there needs to be a significant change in our overall mindset. To this end, the Chamber intends to continue its lobbying efforts in respect to modernizing Bermuda’s antiquated legal system to meet the demands of today’s business environment.
:Meanwhile it is business as usual tonight. The forecast is favourable, we have over 6,000 cruise ship guests looking for an authentic Bermuda experience and they will not be disappointed as tonight’s entertainment lineup will include a spectacular Beating of the Retreat Ceremony. Our vendors will be out in numbers and our retail and restaurant members are all eager to make it a memorable night, so all roads still lead to Harbour Nights!”
Great News! As if whoever runs harbour nights tried to get a liquor license!!! What the hell!! This is supposed to be a family thing with young kids and tourist. Why introduce a mind altering DRUG INTO THE MIX???!!!
tHERE ARE PLENTY OF STORES ON FRONT STREET AND AROUND THAT DISPENSE THIS DRUG! gEESE Bermy really has a drug problem–you telling me people cant go 3-4 hrs without a drink???!!
Keep it family friendly!!
Jamrock, I could not agree more. I don’t understand why they need to have alcohol on the streets when there are loads of bars in the area. Surely they would have been digging into the profits of these bars.
I agree, can we please keep the liquor out of this event.
And tourists out of Bermuda no doubt. I went to the new fun golf at Snorkel Park, lots of cruisers off of the boat, all drinking. Like it or watch them go elsewhere, and your jobs, and your prosperity.
Dito….
No wonder we only get elderly tourists reliving their honeymoon in 1970.
You know what, it’s all about choice, you folks who don’t like a drink have that option, and good policing too – there is no reason why you can’t have a glass of wine and behave sensibly, have you been to France, Italy…?
Bermuda deserves what it gets, a tourist industry stuck in the seventies.
Bad decision.
Mordern Age and tourist not welcomed….You lot are spouting alot of bs. First of all why are you threatening our prosperity?? Mind you there are many different types of prosperity…certain people only believe in one kind it seems—the almighty dollar…
This is a problem that we have in Bermuda and the world at large—people trading good values for a price.
That is a huge part of bermudas social issues now…Families, gov, institutions, and alot more have sold out good moral/ethic family values for money..
Truth be trold, many of these tourist don’t or can drink on the streets in there home lands..why?? because its illegal!
Why now should they come here-in the name of the almighty dollar–and impose some sort of wreckless behaviour on Bermuda family event!
This is not an attack on our guest(guest–should still behave like guest, vacation or no vacation) at all, this is for anyone that condones such irresponsible behaviour–there is a time and a place for everything. A fun enjoyable time for all young and old no matter the color or sex or religion…
BERMUDA—YOUR TRUE rICHES LIE NOT IN TOURIST DOLLARS OR MONEY, BUT IN THE VALUE THAT YOU PLACE IN YOUR CITIZENS, YOUR KIDS, YOUR FAMILY/VALUES AND EACH OTHER!
STOP SELLING OUT FOR MONEY!!
Gosh you really don’t get it, do you?
Yes all of those things are important, but we can’t live on goodwill. The point is that serving drinks at harbour nights or on a Sunday will not result in a breakdown of society, and it is not selling out.
If we don’t move with the times, tourism walks, and we have one less thing to fall back on, and more jobs will be lost. That’s pretty important, so while you are at church, I encourage others to put food on their tables, I know I will be.
I’m afraid that you’re the one who doesn’t quite get it.
Harbour Nights is not some grand entertainment event where the selling of alcohol at street level might be expected.
Harbour Nights is a multi-faceted event that happens to include family events, street vendors and evening shopping in many stores. These things do not go hand in hand with alcohol sales.
Yes, many people can manage to wander around with a drink in hand without causing the slightest issue with anyone else.
But to those who think that an alcoholic beverage is necessary to enhance their experience I might suggest a bit of introspection.
And should there be any question, I happen to like a drink now and again, I just feel that there are appropriate times and places for them to be had and wandering around the streets of Hamilton certainly isn’t the place.
You sound like a moron. You’ve obviously never been to Non-Mariners or Cup Match….
That was directed at Jamrock
dreamers the lot of you, family event yea right, how many families actually go all season long and spend money at harbour nights. This island is boring and while u all sit around and keep throwing the so called family atmosphere line around, the tourist take their families south where they can drink and relax while their kids play. Since when is alcohol at a harbour night taking away from the family atmosphere anyway. Let me think of all the FAMILY events free from alcohol, May 24th, FAMILIES with coolers full of alcohol siting on the side of the road wait thats not one, cup match, thousands of dollars spent on alcohol for your FAMILY camps oh wait thats not one either, oh right Harbour night cause thats the only true family event that tourist can enjoy being bored to death.
Greed,,Greed and More Greed ! thats what motivates them !
I think liquor for Harbor Nights is probably a bad idea, but did someone say “the Chamber intends to continue its lobbying efforts in respect to modernizing Bermuda’s antiquated legal system to meet the demands of today’s business environment”? Amen to that!
This was a sensible decision. There are more than enough bars on front street that an individual can get a drink from. Liquor being sold at harbor nights would have led to even more out of control teenagers tainting Bermuda’s image at a family friendly event…
What do you care? You’ll be at bridge club then.
BOOM! Headshot!!
las vegas has millions of ppl drinking on the streets all day long, but we cant have a 3hour closed in function with a few beers for tourist who are on vacation. And we wonder why tourist dont come to this boring traditional island. Get your heads out of your as#es, this island needs to compete, we are losing very badly, if you dont see it then your just as ignorant as the other traditional bermudians who think this island is still rich and everyone wants to come here.
And Vegas is far more heavily policed than any Bermudian would ever put up with without crying profiling, racism, “not my boy, he’s good and always buys his auntie presents” etc
good decision!
“….the Chamber intends to continue its lobbying efforts in respect to modernizing Bermuda’s antiquated legal system to meet the demands of today’s business environment”.
Amen, and good luck with that one.
boo. People on vacation want to drink & Party. Neither of these are available in Bermuda.
We need a Beach Bar! And NO…snorkle doesnt count. Thats like putting a bar next to a kiddie pool (yawn)
Warwick long bay (or horseshoe), beach bar with live entertainment daily!
exactly
it isnt about the locals you fool !!!!! People are here on vacation and want to relax and have a cold beer whilst enjoying the festivities ! Why dont you leave the old folks home every once in a while and see that every other Caribbean Island does it. There is alcohol at football games, Cup match, may 24th, you honestly think kids dont see it ?? Its what you teach your kids about the dangers of alcohol that makes the difference. They dont have to indulge in it. People are not going to be walking around acting the fool ! 4000 tourists here off the ship and you tell them they cant have a beer on the street, mingle with the locals and enjoy the entertainment ? And you of all people probably wonder why the numbers for tourism are down ! Wow! Relax! Stop being so damn stuck up ! Live a little ! Let people who spend the money enjoy themselves !
And let’s add Sunday licensing too. Some friends visited us from U.S. last week, and they thought it was HILARIOUS that aisles at Marketplace were covered up because they sell (whisper it) alcohol on the sabbath. The churches are empty – get with the times, Bermuda is stuffy and hypocritical.
Change or die Bermuda.
this is the reason that Bermuda will never move forward as a top tourist attraction as it once was. too many idoits in high places stuck in the past.
To the sky is falling crew commenting hear. Get into the 21 St century. We need to compete and this is just silly.
Backwards decision and we wonder why our toruism industry is on the decline.
To those saying it would affect the bars in the area simple fix. The bars could have stalls to sell their liqour on the street.. heck, even promote their establishment for tourists to come and party/dance.
asking for madness
and what on earth is wrong with our visitors to the island strolling along front street with the (alcoholoic) beverage of their choice while (hopefully) they shop at some of the stalls and shops on front street? no one is suggesting a wild party – have this policed by all means!! – but we have to loosen up a bit – if you want a tourism industry then for goodness sake give the tourists what they want!! if not then they will go somewhere else
Are we unable to enjoy life without a drink in our hand? And you wonder why the young people have difficulty? C’mon… get a grip!
no we can’t if thats what tourist want to do. Its what ppl like to do especially on vacation. Dont we drink at cup match, 24th of may, at your house bar b ques, thats what ppl enjoy. I suppose we should take cars and bikes away because the kids are speeding on the roads too.
I can start a fire with sticks, but why bother if I can use a lighter.
This isn’t about a massive bender, but street festivals all over the world allow some consumption in the street….
on a brain chemistry side, it’s not needed, but it does enhance the experience
Like mentioned already, change or die. We really need to look at where the voids are in the industry fill em and then set new trends thats what set us apart in the ‘past’, so lets move foward, we must be ever evolving.
Good!! Harbour Nights should be aimed at families, locals and tourists alike. There are enough liquor outlets in town period for persons to ‘wet their throats’. Why the need for additional liquor sales in the streets?? We don’t need to loosen up any more. We have already dropped too many of our values!
My friends were here a few weeks ago and also thought it hilarious that they couldn’t move along Front Street with their nice cold beer unless they put it in a little paper bag. To all you hypocrites why don’t you demand the wall sitters who swill cheap beer all day and hassle our guests (especially the young girls) do something to stop them!
A man called the Community Voices radio show today and told Gina Spence to ignore the request of some tourists for her to play Bob Marley and told her she should be plaing Hubert Smith, the Talbot Brothers and the like for them. This is PRECISELY why tourism is in the toilet: tourists will go where they can get what THEY want not we want them to have. I’ll say it again: Bermuda, we need to get over ourselves. If we are in this business then we need to compete. If we’re not then stop bitching and moaning about the tourism numbers because what you see is what you’ll get. Its just a shame that it had to hit rock bottom before some progressive thinkers got their politics out of the way to realize that this and some other things pursued under a certain administration were in fact good ideas.Somewhere in the midst of the Breakaway celebration we should find time to mention whose idea it was to make Dockyard the main hub for cruise ships.
touche but dockyard is still boring as hell…mini golf is an old outdated entertainment, the f%$#@$ dolphin show is boring, snorkel park offers nothing worth the $10 entrance fee. We need a water theme park, or atv or mini dune buggy tour through the tracks or jet ski tours that dont cost $250 per person. That new jetskii thing with hose is a good start, its different, its innovative, thats what tourist like.
BERMUDA, GET OUT OF THE STONE AGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Bermuda Boy – At whose expense? During our stone age people were healthier as was our community. Furthermore more Bermudians frequent Harbour Nights than tourists (remember we do not have too many of these bodies around?). And the few we do have will they be travelling by rented cycles, taxis or staggering back to their accommodations? Innocent sober people get hit by others what chance would an inebriated rider or walker have? Just because some of us must have a drink or two to enhance an experience does not mean that everyone else does.
Another reason not to go to Harbour Nights. Y’all sound like a bunch of uptight prisses. Why should a liquor license even be needed in the first place? If they wanna sell beer, let ‘em sell beer. If the event acquires an unsavory reputation from drunkenness, that will kill it and it will be their problem.
Good call, there’s plenty of bars & restaurants on Front Street for those looking to get “a drink”. Harbor Nights was started as a family oriented event & should stay that way.
right because all the other family events like may 24th and cup match are all alcohol free…WAKE UP
Stuckin1965 putting alcohol in a paper bag does not make it legal. The offence is drinking alcohol in a public place.
It does not mater what it is in. Ridiculous that you cannot have a beer on the beach or the street.
very ridiculous. the traditional mentality of this islands ppl is killing any sort of competitive life we have to attract tourist here that dont come solely on a cruise. The hotels cost 2 arms and a leg and dont even offer free internet or premium channels. This island vexes me and im not even a drinker.
I am glad as Bermuda has a serious alcohol problem! Anyone who disagrees is either in denial, drunk or both!
or has an another opinion!
Tourism is MUGGGG !!
They need alottttttttt of help to make the island attractive.
You guys are over reacting about the alcohol.
how you know its not let the tourist have a free taste of black rum or gold or for stores and bars to promote themselves and a nice drink.
ALCOHOL isnt new if you dont want it round ya kids n family well im sure there will b a area just for you be.
Just because someone drinks doesnt mean they gonnah be drunk. Having the drinks on the street is the same as having the bar SO WHATS YA POINT ?? Someone drunk can roll rite out of a bar if they wanted rite into harbor night sooooo whats the difference???
Bermuda needs alot of help and the only way it can change is if yall Bermudians stop being so dam STUCK UP and Conservative and do things that will benefit the island and its entertainment. its sad that you can do everything in Bermuda in 3 days SADDDDDDDD.
STAND UP BERMUDA AND LIVE A LITTLE
Let’s be a bit realistic here – we cannot control the out of hand Bda youngsters that go the Wed. night event so how in lord’s name will we be able to do this once they are under the influence. I suggest you go there and see the crowd that hang out there – pants on the ground and colours abound.
I am with you for not allowing a license – there are plenty of bars if someone really wants to have a drink.
Longest line at Harbour nights last night?? Goslings giving away free samples of swizzle and dark/stormy.
Why don’t they just have church service there on Wednesday night.
To those who suggest we get with the times and behave like they do in other places like Vegas and down the islands, I have to wonder what makes you think that any of those things will make people want to come and/or return to Bermuda when they can already go to those existing locations for a good bit less cost than they would have to spend to come to Bermuda.
No, we don’t want to be like those other places. We want to sell Bermuda. Our particularly lovely island home. There was a time when Bermuda drew tourists because we were different. We had a different feel from other locations and people could come here for a reasonable cost.
Our tourism problem is not so much the product, as it is the cost.
If this is to enhance our tourism product the push for the licene needs to come from the Dept of tourism. The push for the development of the south shore beaches needs to come from that dept as well, they r the so called experts and should just do their jobs and drive the progress and change needed to help fix our boring image stima.
The reason there were long lines at the Gosling stall was because it was free. We don’t need to drink alcohol on the streets at Harbour nights .We have enough problems with the youth without them beiing drunk as well.