WILLIAMSTOWN -- Two local restaurants will be issued warning letters by the Selectmen after failing alcohol compliance checks in May.
Colonial Pizza and Hops and Vines will receive the letters, which will also outline the board's expectation that it won't see the establishments come before it again for serving alcohol to people under 21 years old.
"Obviously, we are disappointed as to what has occurred. For what it's worth, I appreciate how seriously you have taken this situation, and we all hope this will not happen again," David Rempell, chairman of the Selectmen, said.
David Aldecoa, co-owner of Hops and Vines, said that he and other members of the restaurant's staff were shocked when they learned of the failure. The letter that was sent out by the Selectmen earlier this year about the guidelines for disciplining establishments that fail the compliance checks was posted on a bulletin board in the restaurant, and servers were constantly reminded to card people in accordance with TIPS training, he said.
"We're really disappointed and saddened to be here after only one year in business," he said.
Since the event, the restaurant's staff members who hadn't had TIPS training have received it, and those who had it, have received the training again, he said.
The Selectmen commended the restaurant for being proactive.
"From what I hear, you guys are doing everything that should be done," Rempell
Constantine Anagnos, owner of Colonial Pizza, also expressed his disappointment that his restaurant had failed the compliance check.
He said he was alone in the restaurant the night of the checks when someone came in to order a beer. He went to get the man a beer from the cooler, and when he came back he was gone, he said. Then the police officer came in, he said.
Anagnos' son, Theodore "Ted," who is general manager of the restaurant, said he has always known his father to card people ordering beer, even if they were in their 60s.
"When he told me the story, I was flabbergasted," he said.
He said both him and his sister are TIPS trained, and he is working on getting the training for his father.
Jane Allen, vice chairwoman of the Selectmen, said these were the first failures for Hops and Vines and Colonial Pizza since the board began keeping track of alcohol compliance checks in 2006.
To reach Meghan Foley, email mfoley@thetranscript.com.
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