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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Let’s relax liquor laws

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Irie FM executive Ben Fairn and recording artist MonaLisa

Residents randomly polled on whether Bermuda should relax it’s liquor licensing laws, or sell alcohol in grocery stores and other outlets every day including Sundays, unanimously answered ‘yes’.Irie FM executive Ben Fairn said: “I think we need to liberalise the regulations on alcohol, serving and selling it seven days a week. We’re a tourist destination, it should be available almost anytime, anywhere, not late nights but within reason every day of the week. Most destinations have done that and there’s not a problem, there’s no control problems with it and it’s licensed.“That would include places like the beach, we’re definitely way behind. Even with the Harbour Nights issue, there should be licences given for that, it shouldn’t be a problem when they’re serving alcohol on Front Street anyway, what’s the difference?”Recording artist MonaLisa said: “My opinion on that is I feel liquor should be served and sold in Bermuda every single day of the week. It’s more about what you do after you drink your liquor, I mean don’t drive while you’re intoxicated and cause things like that.“But you’re your own person and make your own decisions. I feel that we have predominantly Americans who come to Bermuda and as a tourist destination, they should feel as if they are home. They should be able to purchase liquor any day of the week and have a good time while they’re here in Bermuda.”Retired bus operator Teddy Swainson said: “It’s time for Bermuda to relax on a lot of things because we don’t do enough in that respect for the tourists. Even with putting up signs to help direct them or attract them to a place of business. But when it comes to the sale of alcohol, yes we should be more relaxed on it, why not?“We serve it everyday anyway and a lot of people don’t go to bars. If they want to purchase in a store on a Sunday why shouldn’t they be able to, just because it’s on Sunday?“We are so far behind. I think Bermuda wants to maintain a certain lifestyle that’s not conducive to what we want or need anymore. We need to be more relaxed in doing things because we depend on the tourists and we have to cater to them. We should wear flowered shirts in our businesses, we should lay it all out for them. I mean, we still don’t have any atmosphere that’s geared for them.”Dave Morgan, co-owner and manager at Captain’s Sports Bar and Grill, agreed. “It’s time to catch up with the future, it’s time to do what everybody else is doing to promote tourism and get more revenue going as well. When people go on vacation, and go on the beach or places like that if they want an alcoholic beverage they should be able to have it especially in a place that promotes itself as a tourist destination. We are way behind the eight ball on that.”

Retired bus operator Teddy Swainson
Dave Morgan: Owner/manager at Captain's Sports Bar & Grill