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NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen may consider new regulations on whether local establishments can allow their patrons to bring their own alcohol on the premises.
Currently, the town does not regulate businesses that adopt a BYOB policy, Town Administrator John Coderre told selectmen this week. Though Coderre said it is not common for local establishments to adopt BYOB, he added the practice could become more attractive now that the town has given out its last license to sell beer, wine and liquor. The town does have at its disposal two more licenses for the sale of beer or wine only.
Selectmen appeared to favor continuing to allow BYOB with some regulations, as opposed to the other options Coderre suggested: maintaining the status quo or simply banning the practice outright.
"I think doing nothing is probably the least of my choices," Selectman Jeff Amberson said.
Selectman Dawn Rand worried that banning BYOB would put some businesses at an unfair disadvantage. Meanwhile, Selectman Leslie Rutan spoke in favor of a regulated BYOB policy that would require employees to be TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) trained and allow owners to cut patrons off if they drank too much.
Coderre said he would present selectmen with a draft policy that they could consider at a future meeting.
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