Country Club Liquor Licenses Will Transition From Haddad to Leaseholder [with video]
Although the town of Groton has been the holder of record for the two liquor licenses at the Country Club - one for The Tavern and the other for the Function Hall for 2015, that will change in June 2016 when these licenses are scheduled to be turned over to the leaseholders of both of the venues.
Town Manager Mark Haddad recommended to the Board that they support the license transition at a $3000, 12-month fee for the Function Hall and a seasonal license for six months for The Tavern, which is only opened from May to Oct.
Haddad also asked the Board not to charge the leaseholder for the licenses for 2015 as the leaseholder allowed the summer camp to use the Function Hall during rainstorms and provided two office spaces for town employees.
Haddad said, "I believe that the town has been more than compensated. We pay the utilities, but the kids can go there in the rain and we use the basement for our mechanics." He added that the town pays insurance for the building while the liability insurance is paid by the leaseholder.
Haddad told Selectmen that he contacted the two license-holder businesses to explain why he was recommending that there be no charge for a liquor license at The Tavern and the Function Hall, and indicated that one business advised that they had no issue with the decision, while the second business did not return his phone calls.
The Board voted to charge the lessee of the Function Hall a fee of $3000 for a liquor license and voted to charge the lessee of The Tavern $1500 for a Seasonal Liquor License beginning in June 2016.