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Council approves extended hours and alcohol service for Southern Comfort with security conditions
Summary
Council approved a use permit allowing Southern Comfort Restaurant & Lounge extended hours, alcohol service and indoor live entertainment, with council‑adopted conditions on security staffing, exterior cameras and HPD extra‑duty coverage for late nights.
After a staff presentation and extended council Q&A, city council approved use permit 25‑0285 for Southern Comfort Restaurant & Lounge at 2163–2165 Cunningham Drive with a package of conditions designed to address public‑safety concerns.
Staff recommended a set of conditions including modified hours (Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.; Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–2 a.m.), interior and exterior security staffing tied to capacity, two exterior cameras, ID scanning and retention of records, and extra‑duty Hampton Police Department officers on nights the venue operates until 2 a.m. Applicant Eddie Gomez told council he has operated since 2021 and uses HPD and private security as needed and said fixed mandated staffing can create burdens for small businesses.
Council and staff negotiated a compromise that reduced the interior security ratio to one guard per 100 patrons and clarified that on nights open to 2 a.m. the requirement would be five interior security personnel plus two dedicated parking‑lot guards, with two HPD extra‑duty officers counting toward total coverage for late nights. Gomez said he will continue working with HPD and security providers to meet conditions.
