1 Braintree Bar Can Serve Alcohol Saturday, Other Cannot

BRAINTREE, MA — The Southside Tavern can open the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day after appealing a suspension enacted by the town's licensing board.

Town Clerk James Casey told Patch the the bar filed its appeal with the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC), and the town sent its own paperwork regarding the suspension to the ABCC yesterday. The restaurant had several incidents over the last year, according to Casey.

With TGI Fridays, another restaurant who's license is suspended for Saturday, it appears the one-day suspension will hold.

"I contacted their attorney and they said at this time, they are not making an appeal," Casey said.

TGI Friday's has until 4:30 p.m., Friday to change their mind.

An attorney representing Southside Tavern told the Patriot Ledger the pub is appealing the suspension because the tavern believes the punishment is excessive, as it penalizes the restaurant on one of the busiest nights of the year. Southside Tavern's license was revoked following a Dec, 16 incident, where according to the licensing board, Southside Tavern served three beers to a man who was already intoxicated and ended up in the hospital after he was found at Hollis Field. The attorney, Louis Cassis, argued there was no evidence the man was served alcohol while intoxicated.

TGI Friday's liquor license was suspended after a bartender served an intoxicated person a drink, who later fell and hit their head, the licensing board said. Caroline O'Connell, the attorney representing TGI Fridays, told the board it has already taken corrective steps, including firing the bartender.