Thank you very much, Mark.
Some good news for Carlisle. They have such a cool DT and this is certainly going to help it:
GOING OUT TO EAT
Carlisle prepares to scrap sidewalk fee to encourage cafes
Sunday, June 06, 2004
BY DAN MILLER
Of Our Carlisle Bureau
CARLISLE - Al fresco dining has long been one of Europe's charms.
Harrisburg has in recent years joined the ranks of American cities that staked claim to the summertime tradition.
Downtown Carlisle is about to boost its share.
Borough Council plans to scrap a $50 annual fee on restaurants that offer dining on public sidewalks.
Borough Manager Fred Bean, who suggested dropping the fee, said downtown restaurants are working hard to attract business. Dropping the fee will encourage the effort.
"We're not really justifying the $50 charge, because it's a fairly simple process," he said.
He said that about six restaurants have applied for the permit. Indeed, the revenue loss of about $300 is scarcely a drop in the beer mug, given the borough's $10.1 million budget.
"If I had a choice I'd want to sit outside," said Braam Hattingh, owner of Fast Eddie's on West High Street, where patrons can dine outdoors by candlelight and the light of the Carlisle Theater marquee across the street. "The bottom line is outdoor seating makes sense -- dollars and cents."
Restaurants will still have to apply for a permit, and the borough will continue to monitor restaurant compliance with the ordinance, which sets rules for public dining.
Restaurants licensed to serve alcohol are allowed to do so outside, as long as they have permission from the municipality, said Molly McGowan, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
Some restaurants may need an "extension of premises" license to serve alcohol outdoors. Restaurants can apply for the extension much as they apply for a new license or license transfer. The process takes at least 30 days, but could take longer if there is public opposition to the request.
McGowan said the LCB does not issue temporary licenses, which would allow restaurants to serve alcohol outside during designated months. Restaurants that serve outside without LCB permission risk being fined.
Restaurateurs say that outdoor dining allows them to expand business without committing to a costly expansion project.
"It's pretty cut and dried. The more tables you add to a restaurant, the more money you make," said Tony Magaro, co-owner of Fisaga, part of Harrisburg's Restaurant Row on North Second Street. Fisaga has offered outdoor seating since it opened three years ago; an awning protects against fickle skies.
"My place is kind of like something you would see in Key West," Magaro said.
Downtown Carlisle has plenty of history, said Chris Petsinis, owner of North Hanover Grille. But in order to compete with tourist attractions like Harrisburg and Gettysburg, downtown Carlisle restaurants need to offer outdoor seating, he said.
And sidewalk competition among the downtown restaurants is a good thing, he said.
"The more restaurants that are doing it, the better the appeal," Petsinis said. "You go to Europe, and it's just a steady stream of blocks and blocks of outdoor seating."
It's not only tourists who will enjoy the ambience. Al fresco dining should also appeal to the 9-to-5 crowd.
"It's better than being cooped up all day, and it gets you outside," said Chris Camara, who had lunch outside at the North Hanover Grille.