Bristol council approves consent order with Aidan's after admissions of noise and underage alcohol violations

The Bristol Town Council on Monday approved a consent order with Aidan's after the licensee, through counsel, admitted to a noise violation and three violations for serving alcohol to underage patrons.

Sarah Rudenburg, counsel for the licensee (Darrow Everett), told the council, "Aidan's does admit and will plead guilty to the noise violation and pay the fine of $500, and they also will admit to the violation of underage service of alcohol and pay the fine of $500 for the first offense and $1,000 dollars each for the second and third offense for a total fine of $2,500." She said the fines would be paid within five business days.

The consent order also requires the licensee to retain Safety Management Solutions to analyze crowd-control weaknesses and provide staff training; that firm must deliver a report to the town clerk within 30 days. The order mandates at least one dedicated security officer posted outside from the close of entertainment until the restaurant closes, signage to encourage patrons to leave quietly, and a monthly written log of security staff names and hours submitted to the clerk by the 10th of each month.

Council members clarified enforcement of local hours under the town ordinance (section 5-97(b)) and emphasized that the changes were to be enforced rather than to reduce previously authorized hours: indoor entertainment must cease by 10 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and by midnight Friday–Saturday; outdoor entertainment is limited and will end at 10 p.m. on Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday per the clarified language presented to the council.

The council amended the consent order to add an interim review at the August 19, 2026 council meeting and kept the full review at license-renewal time in November 2026. The amendment was offered and approved by voice vote; the same voice procedure was then used to adopt the consent order. No council members were recorded as opposed during the voice votes.

In remarks that set the council's tone, the presiding chair warned the licensee that the council had "zero tolerance" for recurring disturbances but said the council wanted Aidan's to succeed. Michael Cockroft, general manager of Aidan's, said, "Personally, I don't wanna run a club. I wanna run a restaurant," and said the business was prepared to follow the council's instructions on hours and staffing.

A neighbor, Tom Bergenholz of 366 Hope Street, told the council he shared its frustration and called the outcome "a slap on the wrist," warning that modest fines may not deter future problems. Councilors and staff noted that more severe steps — including suspension or revocation of entertainment or liquor licenses — remain available if violations continue; staff explained that appeals of liquor-license penalties proceed to the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) and that challenges to entertainment-license actions could be taken to state courts.

The council asked staff to provide objective measures for the interim review, including calls for service and redacted police logs, decibel or disturbance records, and complaint counts. Staff said it would work with the police chief to deliver the requested data ahead of the August meeting.

The consent order also added a restriction on early-morning disposal of bottles and cans, specifying that such disposal must not occur before 8 a.m. the following day. Council members said failure to meet the order's conditions could trigger an expedited show-cause hearing; staff said an expedited hearing could be scheduled as a special meeting with approximately two weeks' notice.

The council's adoption of the consent order concludes the show-cause hearing for Aidan's; the town will revisit compliance on 2026-08-19 and again at license-renewal time in November 2026.