Entertainment ordinance first weekend

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The new late night entertainment ordinance had its first run. This weekend dozens of bars were required to stop all entertainment an hour earlier.

It's lights on at 1am now for 39 bars and clubs throughout Springfield. It was the first weekend since the city enacted its new late night entertainment ordinance.

Before now, any bar could stay open until 2 am with music up, lights dimmed, and spirits high but now only those with an entertainment license can do that.

It was all in response to crime around closing time which Welman Rivera has seen, “There's a lot of shotgun, a lot of drug deal.  They have to change that.”

And some think the new ordinance will have an effect.  “With crime though, when people get out of clubs they're wild and drunk and there's a lot of stupid stuff that goes on so it'll help that part but the business part I don't think it'll help much,” said Dwayne Garrick of Springfield.

But many establishments were rejected the permit. Out of 41 nightclubs and bars that applied for one of these entertainment permits, only two were approved.

Some patrons and owners alike think that's bad news for business. “It'll just drive all the customers to another city, that's all they're going to do,” said Paul Giffin of Springfield.

Springfield Police Lt. Robert Moynihan said there was one arrest made on Worthington Street Saturday night.

There is an exception, if more than 40% of the business is food service then they are not required to apply or need a permit.