OCEAN CITY — With some interest shown over the last week from a handful of businesses, there will be a hearing on extending carryout and delivery of alcohol in Worcester, while Wicomico officials this week have already decided to extend it.
When a state of emergency was declared last spring, restaurants and bars were closed to the public and many went to a carryout and delivery model including modified ways of selling alcohol. State and local liquor boards relaxed the rules for selling beer, wine and spirits through carryout and delivery and mixed drinks in sealed containers for off-site consumption.
The relaxed rules helped sustain some businesses during the pandemic and kept people employed. As a result, a pair of bills were introduced and ultimately approved in the General Assembly this year allowing the carryout and delivery model to continue with conditions. The legislation requires local liquor boards to adopt regulations to allow the practice to continue.
With the governor’s state of emergency expiring this week on July 1, many local liquor boards around the state this week were making timely decisions on whether or not to adopt new regulations. The Wicomico County Board of License Commissioners on Tuesday adopted rules and regulations allowing for the continuation of carryout and delivery of alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption. The resolution reads, “the Wicomico County Board of License Commissioners has weighed the need to promote economic recovery in the restaurant and tavern business in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to protect the public health and welfare.”
The Wicomico BLC’s resolution includes conditions and restrictions, such as no alcohol carryout or delivery sales after 11 p.m., all alcohol must be contained in the manufacturer’s original sealed container or in a container closed with a cap, cork, seal or lid, with no holes for straws for sipping. In addition, all carryout and deliveries must include prepared food.
Last week, the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners (BLC) sent out an email blast to the county’s liquor license holders advising them the carryout and delivery model would end when the governor’s state of emergency expired July 1.
“As a result of the expiration of the governor’s executive orders in regard to carryout and delivery of alcoholic beverages, effective July 1, 2021, all holders of alcoholic beverage licenses in Worcester County will cease all carry out and delivery of alcoholic beverages, which were permitted solely through the executive orders,” the BLC’s notice read.
On Tuesday, the Worcester County BLC attorney said the board had received three requests to continue carryout drinks since last week when none had been received. As a result, the Worcester County BLC will have a hearing on the off-premise sales issue during its regular monthly meeting on July 21. He said Baltimore City and St. Mary’s County were terminating carryout and delivery on Wednesday, but was uncertain about what other jurisdictions were doing.
Last week, the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce sent out a call to action to its members along with a survey to gage interest in retaining the privilege of serving alcohol for off-premise consumption.
“If your business or customers benefited from such privileges during the pandemic and would like for this to continue, now is the time to contact the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners requesting that they adopt related regulations as soon as possible,” the chamber’s message to members reads. “The Restaurant Association of Maryland and the Maryland Licensed Beverage Association have already sent a letter to local liquor boards requesting such, but it’s important for local liquor boards to also hear directly from licensees on this issue.”
This week, state lawmakers on the Eastern Shore fired off their own letter to local liquor boards urging them to adopt regulations to allow the practice to continue.
“The hospitality industry has been among the hardest hit business sectors across the country with restaurant and food service sales falling by $240 billion in 2020, and more than 110,000 eating and drinking places temporarily or permanently closed due to COVID-19 in 2020,” the letter states. “While other states moved forward with permanent alcohol to-go purchase extensions, we believe this legislation, which grants you as local licensing board members the authority to customize regulations for your local jurisdiction, gives you the local flexibility to strike the balance of promoting economic recovery of our small businesses with the need to protect public health and welfare.”
State Senator Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) was among the strongest supporters of the legislation when it was debated in the General Assembly this year and ultimately passed.
“I grew up in the restaurant business,” she said during testimony on the Senate floor. “Throughout the entire COVID pandemic, I have been working with our local restaurants on their very survival and keeping jobs in those restaurants. The legislation is essential to our Maryland restaurants’ long-term COVID-19 recovery.”
