24-hour "party districts" proposed in New York City
Currently bars and nightclubs in NYC must close at 4:AM
A new proposal in New York City could see the creation of 24-hour “nightlife districts” inspired by similar areas in Amsterdam and Berlin.
The move comes as clubs and bars in the city are struggling to re-open after months of sustained closures due to the ongoing pandemic.
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New York’s current licensing rules restrict alcohol from being sold at venues past 4:AM - one of the latest closing times in the US.
Ariel Palitz, the senior executive of the NYC Office for Nightlife told WCBS: “Everything is on the table right now.”
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“We are recommending this as a pilot to identify areas where 24-hour use might be appropriate; new licenses that are committed to hosting community programming in exchange for this allowance in certain areas have proved wildly successful.”
Adding that “not having everyone rushing out and rushing in” at closing time “actually helps reduce conflicts and quality of life concerns” in other cities that have existing late-licensing programmes.
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The recommendation was published as part of the NYC Mayors Office For Nightlife report 2018 - 2021.
[Via The New York Post]
Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter