NEW YORK In the city that never sleeps, some bars may be going to bed a little earlier as community boards here push for 2 a.m. closing times, according to a report in the New York Post.
Bars in the city can legally stay open until 4 a.m., but the State Liquor Authority has been supporting community boards that approve liquor licenses only if the establishments close by 2 a.m., the report said.
According to the paper, public records for Community Board 3, which covers the trendy East Village neighborhood, not one liquor license was granted to a bar that would close after 2 a.m. on weeknights and 3 a.m. on weekends.
"We might as well rename ourselves Cleveland-on-the Hudson," a lawyer for the New York Nightlife Association told the paper.
Waiters and bartenders have complained that they stand to lose a substantial amount of tips if more bars are required to roll back their hours.
