The city’s licensing board is apparently going to weigh and measure Renzo’s request to serve alcoholic beverages to people of age seated at tables and chairs that are located in a confined space on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant.
Some Revere residents living on the beach and even an organization dedicated to eradicating drug use and alcohol abuse are set to speak against Renzo’s at the licensing board meeting.
Those in favor of allowing Renzo’s request will also speak for the measure.
They will, to a person, say that Renzo’s is different, which it is, and that it represents the type of establishment we wish there were more of on Revere Beach.
Allowing some of those eating at Renzo’s to be at a table outside and to be able to drink a beer or to have a mixed drink with dinner is not unreasonable, proponents will say – and they are right.
Since it opened about two years ago, Renzo’s has spruced up the beach a bit with its open doors and outside eating space.
It attracts a good crowd made up of many local residents, and frankly, Renzo’s is of insignificant bother to anyone living on Revere Beach.
Opponents will say that by allowing Renzo’s to serve alcohol to the persons seated at tables on the sidewalk, that life in Revere will become that much more dangerous, that all kinds of things could go wrong and that at its worst, younger people walking by the establishment would be able to see people sipping drinks or a beer at the tables outside.
This could set the wrong example for the children walking by will be the claim.
Renzo’s has set a higher mark for itself since it opened. The food is a bit better than most of what is served on the beach and frankly, there are very few places like it on Revere Beach. The décor is appealing. The woodwork and bar itself are also appealing. It is, frankly, an appealing place – altogether different from the handful of bars on the beach where much worse is going on inside than what children walking by will be able to view outside Renzo’s.
For those ready to invest themselves in the doomsday theory that all is lost on the beach if Renzo’s gets the go ahead, there is this suggestion. Take a walk down Newbury Street on a warm sunny day where thousands, upon thousands of people are seated outside at tables in front of restaurants lining both sides of the street with thousands of children with their parents walking on the sidewalk and watching the drinking going on up close.
The argument could be made that some children are affected by this – but the truth of the matter is that the vast majority aren’t.
The naysayers against Renzo’s will say that Revere Beach is not Newbury Street –and those people will be correct in their thinking about that label.
And what a shame that is, when you think about it. If Revere Beach were a bit more like Newbury Street, it would be a far better place than it is today.
Revere Beach needs more places like Renzo’s. Only then will Revere Beach be a better place.
Renzo’s should be given the right to serve alcoholic beverages to diners seated at its tables outside.
It will make the beach a better place without affecting the quality of life or public safety.
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