In the early 1990s UBC students that wanted to get their drink on late night off-campus would have to head east until they found the Side Door upstairs at 2291 West Broadway. While the retail and residential outlook in the immediate area has changed significantly over the years, there has always been a “bar” at 2291 West Broadway. Today it is called Lola’s Bar.
According to an article in the Vancouver Courier today, neighbours are worried that the Regal Beagle in the same block as Lola’s Bar will have its recent liquor licensing change request approved and there will be not one, but two late-night bars to contend with. The Courier interviewed a sleep-deprived Leila Khodarahmi who complains of being awaken at least twice a week by “drunks in the street”.
Khodarahmi is one of the residents of the area around West Eighth Avenue and Vine who doesn’t want to see the nearby Regal Beagle’s application for a liquor primary license approved. Residents say for years they’ve endured yelling, fighting, public urination, vandalism and litter they believe stems from patrons of Lola’s Bar, next door to the Regal Beagle. They don’t want the two bars to become a destination spot with increased noise at 1 and 2 a.m.
According to the article, disturbances tend to be worst on Monday nights and the public rowdiness seems to be concentrated on Vine Street as partiers use it as a thoroughfare between watering holes on West 4th and West Broadway.
In defense, Regal Beagle GM Ian MacAuley says the liquor board chastised his pub because the food primary establishment was selling too much alcohol and not enough food. And this is why they’re applying to have 40 of their 96 seats licensed liquor primary.
Should the Regal Beagle be allowed to get a liquor primary license or are they being unfairly blamed by neighboring residents? A report on the application is scheduled to go to city council on May 19th.
Last modified: March 3, 2011
I support the change and only live 2 blocks South of the Beagle. It’s a great pub.
I also get annoyed with the drunken idiots in the street at night. BUT from what I’ve witnessed, most of the problem stems from the clientele of Lola’s, not the Beagle. So for me the main issue for the Beagle would be in not attracting more ‘Lolas type’ idiots looking for a cheap and stupid drinking session. We need more mature people staking claims on pubs…
People should try and understand the causes they’re fighting for. Lola’s and the Regal Beagle attract two completely different types of clientele. The Regal Beagle attracts an older (and ever so slightly more mature) crowd. They also do their best to keep the troublemaking outside to a minimum with their doormen and on shift management. Plus, if you’ve ever been to the Regal Beagle on a Monday you know it’s not their clientele that’s causing any problems. Monday nights are historically a busy night for Lola’s as the young University crowd heads down Broadway for off campus dancing and drinking.
Giving the Regal Beagle a liquor primary license for PART of their establishment will do nothing but provide another bar on Broadway that’s licensed until 2:00am (well, part of a bar anyways). Instead of complaining about things they don’t understand, these neighbors should hope that this will do nothing but create a destination spot. If they paid closer attention they would see the number of restaurants, bars and shops that have been going under (or sold) in Kits (Lumiere and DB Bistro being the latest casualties). The more of a destination spot Kits becomes the healthier the local businesses become. If these so-called neighbors actually cared about their neighborhood they wouldn’t fight changes like this, they would embrace them.
Looks to me like Reagle Beagle management is looking to make ‘Lola class’ money/attract the same kind of drinker/spender.
Who else is going to frequent RB if they get what they’re after?
I don’t understand people who watch buildings go up across the street from bars and restaurants and then buy condos in them, and then complain about the noise. On Broadway. It’s the same deal downtown and the city gives in and condenses bars to what they call the entertainment district on Granville street, and what you have is chaos. Newsflash; this is a city and a populated area and urban area where people want Restaurants and pubs open. You go to other cities around the world and everything is open. You come to no fun city and you have to cut off both arms to get a permit. Vancouver. A city that is super uptight about being Laid-back. Just sayin’ the obvious. Fingers crossed for the Beagle.
I completely agree with Sully!
It’s people like Leila that really give us the “no fun city badge”.
Good luck to them in getting their new license. Lola’s is pretty vile so would be nice to have a decent late night spot in the heart of kits.
I love that Kits is a city neighbourhood and not a suburb but I can tell you that there are loud drunks, late at night on Broadway between Arbutus and and Macdonald often….The question then becomes not how late the bars are open but who is overserving their customers?
Every staff member and manager must have a “Seving it right” certificate. Obviously there are people not living up to their responsibilities. Perhaps the BC Liquor Licence Board, the regulator, should be involved. I have no objection to well conducted late night business but I don’t see why we should have to put up with the current situation.
Sully’s on the money. “Uptight about being laidback” – I love that phrase!
Every neighbourhood including Kitsilano needs more pubs within walking distance of homes. It is better than driving to one downtown. It says they only want to convert 40 of 96 seats to liquor primary. This is less than half the restaurant. The other half will still be a restaurant. I lived near here for 12 years and see no problem. The people that complain should move to suburbs and shut up.
This story seems to cover most of the nuisance we have had to put up with over the years.
http://www.vancouversun.com/Lola+tops+police+calls+west+side+report/5851071/story.html