Dozens of Cranston businesses ordered to stop serving alcohol, food after deadline passes
by BRIAN CRANDALL, NBC 10 NEWS
CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — Dozens of Cranston businesses received cease and desist letters from the city this week after failing to submit license renewal documents by the annual deadline.
Renewals for liquor and victualing (food service) licenses were due by Dec. 1.
City Solicitor Christopher Millea told NBC 10 Friday the number of restaurants and other businesses to receive cease and desist orders was in the dozens, which is somewhat higher than usual for delinquent renewals.
The city clerk’s office, however, told NBC 10 the number of businesses to miss the deadline is much higher, around 100.
The clerk’s office told NBC 10 businesses receive four notifications, starting in the summer, to remind them to submit the required documentation to renew their licenses by December 1.
Millea said the cease and desist orders mean the businesses should not be serving alcohol or food (depending on the license that expired).
“I assume they will adhere to that,” Millea told NBC 10.
However, Millea acknowledged the city does not have a practical mechanism to enforce the orders and force the delinquent businesses to stop, without getting specific complaints about a business.
The city council committee that handles licenses has added a meeting Dec. 19 to address, and potentially approve licenses for, businesses that now submit the required documentation after receiving the cease and desist letters.