Southgate City Council has voted to amend the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control ordinance to allow establishments that sell alcohol by the drink (restaurants and bars) to start serving liquor at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Before the change, by-the-drink liquor sales could not start until 1 p.m. on Sundays. The city allowed packaged liquor sales starting at 11 a.m., so now all liquor sales can start at that time on Sundays.
City Attorney Mary Ann Stewart noted that requests had come in to change the ordinance in December, but the council was unable to discuss it and have two readings in time for the holiday season. Other cities had received similar requests this year, she said.
“The way the holidays fell this year, with Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve being on Mondays, I think a lot of the restaurants and bars realized that it would be an optimal time the day before for Sunday sales,” Stewart said.
She also noted the timing would be better to accommodate patrons coming out to watch Sunday football games.
Council members discussed the change and all were in favor. The amendment to the ordinance passed unanimously after the second reading at the January 17 council meeting. Now, all Sunday liquor sales can begin at 11 a.m. in Southgate.