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Western New York village set to drop ban on open containers

The village’s mayor believes the new regulations could help bolster business.

ANGOLA, N.Y. — The Angola village board voted on Monday to allow open containers of alcohol after several weeks of discussions. 

“Anything that we can do to improve the economy, if this is a little step forward, then it's great,” said BTR Brews owner Brandy Lombardo. 

BTR Brews hasn’t even been in Angola for a year, but for these residents, it’s already the place to be

“I am the only business, the only bar owner within the village,” Lombardo said. 

However with popularity comes responsibility. The village’s frequent outdoor festivals often bring upwards of 600 residents to Lombardo’s bar — forcing her to file for permission to be able to serve outside or miss out on her business’ highest grossing days of the year. 

Thanks to the village’s new open container rules, that’s no longer the case.

“It just eliminates some of that red tape, and it helps everybody go through that process because sometimes that process can take 30 days or more just for us to do that,” Lombardo said. 

The decision is a unique one and makes Angola one of three Western New York municipalities to ban open container legislation. 

It’s also a decision that Mayor Thomas Whelan believes will attract new businesses and bring life to the bare village streets.

“We're up and coming,” Whelan said. “We need it. We need more restaurants. We need more places to enjoy life, and I think this will help too.”

Not all residents are convinced, though. Many have expressed fears of the potential recklessness that could come with loosening alcohol restrictions. However the mayor says those residents have nothing to worry about.

“I think more people are responsible than that, and the same people that are getting in trouble, whether it be with alcohol or anything else, are the same people that are always gonna get in trouble,” he said. “Most of us are law abiding citizens. I don't see a problem.”

The mayor is currently proposing two amendments — one that would require a permit to have open containers in village parks and another that would outlaw glass containers. 

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