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Hearing held on full-liquor application for Europe & Kebab House; board closes hearing but records no final license vote
Summary
Applicants for a Section 12 full alcoholic-beverages license at the restaurant space formerly operating as Kabob House presented background and ownership details; the hearing was closed but the Selectmen did not record a final license grant or denial during the meeting.
The Board of Selectmen held a public hearing Tuesday on a new application for a Section 12 full alcoholic-beverages license for the restaurant space formerly operated by Kabob House. Attorney Tom Truax represented the applicants; Bashar Al Islam was introduced as the proposed licensee and manager.
Truax told the board the prior owner did not cooperate with a planned transfer of the existing license, so the previous license expired Dec. 31 and the applicants filed a new application on Jan. 2. He described the ownership team’s restaurant experience, including Al Islam’s operation of a Section 12 restaurant in Brighton since 2016 and other partners with multi-location experience.
Board members questioned hours (applicants said 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. seven days), floor plan and service model. The restaurant will provide counter ordering with 32 indoor seats; the applicants said alcohol would be stored behind the counter. Several Selectmen raised concerns about counter service (versus table service) and how to prevent patrons from taking alcoholic beverages outdoors. The board discussed and requested a clear condition limiting alcohol to indoor premises if a license were granted.
The hearing was closed on a motion by Selectman Plasco, seconded by Selectman Donnelly and approved unanimously. After the hearing, Selectman Donnelly moved to approve a license with specific stipulations (days/times and no outdoor dining); the transcript records disagreement among Selectmen and does not record a final approval vote for the license at this meeting. Attorney Truax objected to what he described as penalizing his client for the prior owner’s failure to cooperate; no final license issuance was documented in the public minutes during the session.
Why it matters: a Section 12 full liquor license affects neighborhood dynamics, enforcement responsibilities for the police and the town’s quota of licenses. The board sought clarity about service style, outside consumption and operating hours before making a final determination.
What’s next: the board will either vote on the application at a subsequent meeting or set conditions that must be met before issuance; the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) certification was cited as part of the application process.
