The Bristol Golf Park got their long-sought Class C liquor license following a public hearing at the June 26 meeting of the Bristol Town Council.

The Class C is a category of license that has not been made available in recent memory. Unlike all other town liquor licenses that are attached to food service (or brewery tap rooms), the Class C permits the sale of alcohol without a proper kitchen, which is something the Council has long been reluctant to permit. In the case of the Bristol Golf Park, however, rule-bending was required.

“The justification for it includes no access or difficult access to sewer and fresh water,” said Council Chairman Nathan Calouro to Robert McNeil of The Northeast Golf Company, operators of the Park. “I'm glad that we got to this point, and I really do hope you are successful…We're not going to look for problems, but certainly if we see them, or they're brought to our attention, we’ll address them like we would with anything else.”

“I appreciate everything you guys have done in working with us to accomplish this for the Bristol Golf Park,” said McNeil. “It's pretty exciting over there, there are a lot of things going on.”

Parked cars impede trash pickup
No parking boxes were approved for locations along DeWolf Avenue, Ryan Avenue, Shores Lane, and Rock Street. This particular request did not involve much Council discussion as it came at the behest of Public Works Director Chris Parella. “That’s to address the difficulty that the automated trash trucks are having with making some of these corners and turns,” Parella said. “There are dozens that are really difficult, but we'll approach them from different angles, come back at a different time, do everything we can. Just know that we really need these four, we've dealt with these for years, and they're very difficult. So we appreciate your consideration on that.”

Pick ’N’ Pay to be resurrected
A victualing license was granted to Anjan Thapa, Soven LLC, doing business as Pick ’N Pay at 300 Hope St. After several months where dwindling products and hours took the “convenience” out of the longtime convenience store location, Pick ’N Pay papered the windows and locked the doors a couple of months ago.
Thapa is a new owner, and a reopening of the downtown store will be welcome news to many. “I’m very excited for my new location, and I hope I'm going to get success,” said Thapa.

Nest gets six more months under review
The Nest’s six-month probation period was renewed after two violations were noted during the initial probationary period. The violations included advertising a “bottomless” Guinness special, which is against state law, and a police call involving a large number of people on the sidewalk with open containers.
Noting that the owner of The Nest has been very cooperative, and the violations themselves were minor, Bristol Police Chief Kevin Lynch recommended extending the probationary period another six months. Calouro said that if there were any more issues that the Council would hold a show cause hearing.
“I don't want that to be necessary,” he said. “I really would like to move forward because his establishment without issue is a nice addition to the community…He's always been a good neighbor. I hope that we have addressed these issues, and we move forward very positively.”

Lafayette trail marker slated for Independence Park
Speaking on behalf of the Lafayette Trail, Catherine Zipf, Executive Director of the Bristol Historical and Preservation Society, requested permission for the installation of a Lafayette Trail Monument at Independence Park.
The Lafayette Trail’s mission is to document, map, and mark General Lafayette's footsteps during his Farewell Tour of the United States in 1824 and 1825. It aims to educate the public about the national significance of Lafayette's Tour and to promote a broader understanding of Lafayette's numerous contributions to American independence and national coherence in preparation for the 2024-2025 tour bicentennial celebrations.
Lafayette, the French nobleman and military officer who volunteered to join the Continental Army, is perhaps best know for commanding troops at Yorktown in 1781, the Revolutionary War's final major battle. He also commanded troops at the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island, making his headquarters at the Joseph Reynolds House at 956 Hope Street.
The request was approved, and Diane Williamson confirmed that the Community Development Department would assist with the siting of the marker when the time comes.