LAURINBURG — The city of Laurinburg is hoping to get a law changed that will allow for beer and wine sales locally.
Executive Director for the Laurinburg-Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce Chris English spoke to the Laurinburg City Council Tuesday about support for changing the local ABC law.
“Currently retail businesses serving malt beverages in the city of Laurinburg are only allowed to hold off-premises permits and permits approved by the North Carolina 18B-603D,” English said. “This statute requires businesses that want to sell malt beverages on-premises to purchase a mixed beverage or hard liquor permit. Additionally, a condition of the statute requires the establishment that holds such a permit to obtain at least 30% of its overall sales from food consumption.”
English added that Laurinburg is one, if not the only, city in the state that falls under this statute and it puts restrictions on the types of businesses that may purchase the permits by making it have to be a restaurant. It also restricts recreation tournaments such as bowling that usually bring in out-of-town businesses.
“The constraint the current statute placed on our community impacts our ability to attract businesses that are often driving retail and main street growth in other towns,” English said. “Music halls, growler stores, wine bars are but a few of the establishments that find the current state an impediment to opening here.”
Places such as pubs, taprooms and breweries serve as community hubs according to English, along with helping grow economic development.
“People often ask, ‘what is there to do here?’” English said. “Young adults are often inclined to travel to neighboring communities to seek out gathering places that offer an array of entertainment options. Tourists look not just for a place to stay overnight, but for locations to occupy their time and where they can spend their money while staying in town.”
English presented the council with a letter that had the support of the Chamber, Scotland County Economic Development, Scotland County Tourism Authority and the Downtown Advisory Council. Carol McCall, chair for the Scotland County Board of Commissioners, also sent the council a letter urging them to support asking for North Carolina House and Senate assistance to change the law.
“We have properties downtown that would be wonderful places for music venues, and part of that attraction would be to have beer and wine,” English said. “If you want to really think about it we’re not promoting hard liquor sales, we’re promoting a community gathering spot for people to go and unwind.”
Tourism Director Cory Hughes spoke to the council as well, stating it would give people more things to do in the city.
“We’re limited in what we have available,” Hughes said. “People do just want to go into a retail establishment and have a glass of wine and look at the pottery or whatever is there. These are things that generate traffic in the downtown’s and right now with the restrictions that we have, we can’t have any of these traffic-generating establishments.”
The council approved a letter of support for the change of law 4-1, with Mayor Pro Tem Mary Evans voting no. Evans did not give a reason for her vote.
Reach Katelin Gandee at [email protected]. To support The Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com/subscribe.
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