Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Tilted Kilt's Plans to Open in Quincy Being Looked At by the City Once Again

A small chain of Celtic-themed sports pubs is looking to open its first Massachusetts location in Quincy, but a nearby church's concerns have brought the issue back to the city’s license board.

The Patriot Ledger is reporting that the pastor of St. John the Baptist Church at the corner of School Street and Gay Street has denounced the proposal to open the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery Plans on Parkingway. The article mentions that Section 16C of state law says a business that sells alcohol can't be situated within 500 feet of a school or church "unless the local licensing authority determines in writing and after a hearing that the premises are not detrimental to the educational and spiritual activities of said school or church." The space that the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery is looking at (which is where a branch of the Outback Steakhouse used to be) is 443 feet away from the church. The license board had previously voted unanimously in favor of granting the Tilted Kilt a license on July 17.

The Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, which started out in Las Vegas, is known in part for its having female servers who dress in revealing Scottish-style outfits. The chain currently operates more than 60 locations across the country, with the only New England outlet being in Wethersfield, CT. Their website can be found at http://www.tiltedkilt.com/

The address that is being looked at by the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery is 227 Parkingway, Quincy, MA, 02169.

[August 29 update: The Patriot Ledger reports that the city's license board voted against the Tilted Kit opening in the former Outback Steakhouse site, with the vote (which occurred yesterday) being 3-2. The article does say that the restaurant chain can appeal the decision to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, or they can file a legal appeal in court, so stay tuned for more possible updates.]