Balboa Beach makes booze bid
(CNS): The new package liquor licence, designed to give clarity to the business of selling alcohol on Sundays, has seen applications from a variety of retail establishments and new ventures in the Cayman Islands, including plans to sell booze to tourists on the Balboa Beach site in George Town harbour. The small, developed commercial beach operation on the GT waterfront, which rents chairs and paddleboards to cruise ship visitors, is looking to expand its services to include alcohol sales.
The company applied for a number of different liquor licences at Thursday’s quarterly board meeting, including the Package Licence to permit Sunday sales and to serve drinks on the beach. Balboa Beach also applied for retail licences for a mobile bar, which would be used for private functions and for its 36-foot boat, which can come directly into the shore area.
The owners of the operation requested to be allowed to sell alcohol from 8am during the week, in order to compete on a level playing field with the various retail outlets catering to cruise ship visitors at this time. They said they would use a combination of staff, security and cameras to ensure that their customers acted within the boundaries of the law.
Among the retail outlets making licence applications at Thursday’s meeting were the operators of the MargaritaVille resort on West Bay Road, primarily for its bistro and convenience store Spread, to operate a bar and a range of charcuterie, such as wine and cheese, for hotel guests and the public to take down to the beach.
While some gas stations had already been selling liquor on Sunday through a retail licence, this had restricted sales of beer to cases only. The new Package Licence allows alcohol sales on Sunday, within the specified hours of 1pm to 7pm, with no restrictions on quantity.
Peter Campbell, owner of the Esso gas station in Prospect, was among the applicants for a Package Licence, in order to sell alcohol seven days per week for consumption off the premises. Campbell was questioned by the Board about the possibility of people purchasing alcohol from the gas station and then standing outside the door to consume it, which they said was “a big no no” and a pretty serious situation for a gas station.
Campbell looked to calm any fears on this score and said that firstly Esso’s strict rules would not allow that sort of behaviour, while additional preventative measures such as staff and security cameras would be employed. The potential for customers to consume the alcohol they had purchased in their cars outside was also something that raised concerns for the board.
Among the other applications being heard at Thursday’s meeting was for the 1981 Brewing Company seeking a Package License. While Sunday opening is not planned for this local craft brewery, which produces beers such as Tropical IPA, Cayman Blonde and Island Session, the proprietors demonstrated the ‘growler’ vessel that would be used for off-premises sales, which is an air tight jug, ideal for bringing a small quantity of beer back from a brewery.
The Culture Rum company, which will import craft spirits from North America and operate a small distillery, producing Cayman Islands rum, was seeking a Distributors Licence, in order to sell product to local bars and restaurants. Owner Sean Moyle said in the future he would apply for a Package Licence to be able to sell directly to the public.
Decisions on the grant applications made before the board on Thursday are expected to be made within the next two weeks.
I note all the pro comments from the paid family retainers, but I don’t see any on the Trolley Roger as the problems it causes are irrefutable. It is a major traffic obstruction drawn by a tiny vehicle which causes the trolley to yaw from side to side making it almost impossible for traffic to overtake it’s walking pace.Has the DVDL ever reviewed it travelling fully loaded, I guarantee not. I suspect they never took it for a test drive fully loaded as it was too slow for the examiner to bother.
That place needs to be demolished XXXXXX not given another Tool to destroy the rest of the harbor drive. Families going to DQ now will be mowed down by some drunken tanked up fool coming or hang around there as it was previously a little liquor store next door or have some forgotten the foolishness that was goin on there before where intoxicated men were struck by traffic right there.
To date I have refrained from commenting on the subject matter as my views, expressed in prior articles as the owner of the adjoining property, are well known. The gentleman whose comments are above reminds us all as what used to take place on that property. Drunks and smokers abounded. This we do not need to be repeated.
The development should never have received planning permission as it breached all setback regulations and now encompasses a very dangerous car park. Only in Cayman would you be able to build a sidewalk which is level to the road. Only in Cayman could you dig up double yellow lines which went unnoticed by the NRA.
As pointed out by another reader the matter is still before the Appeals Tribunal where the hearing comes up next month. How on earth can a liquor licence application be heard when the building could be knocked down.
After the accident involving waverunners a few weeks ago we do not want a similar accident involving cars and pedestrians on the dangerous road.
Finally I should add that the CPA ordered the rope fence to be replaced by a proper fence, over a year ago. That is just another accident waiting to happen. Yet another example as to the negligence of government enforcement divisions.
Chris you are spot on as usual..
Who in their right mind would drive to 1981 brewery to fill a growler bottle with that amateur brew when they can conveniently get beer at numerous locations…it’s terrible. Poor business decision.
Let’s.make it abundantly clear to the Liquor licensing Board, you are the gatekeeper of our children’s lives who now will be exposed ten fold to drunken driving on our roads. You all better make sure you use your common sense and your conscience when making these decisions or woe betide you.
This doesn’t change the fact that people stocked up their alcohol on Saturdays then drove ALLLLL the way to Rum point with their supply on Sundays and got drunk.
Still do, too.
Balboa sure is busy with all the water sports including wave runners, beach chairs and tables, a rent a car business and now a bar. Now how many toilets do they have. Yes you guessed just one. The whole thing is a big joke and reflects poorly on our country.
From an economic standpoint, it will increase tourism spend in Cayman, thus boosting the economy for everyone. It’s not just the owner of this facility that benefits, but the multiple different businesses that will receive more business when the owner of Balboa Beach spends money throughout the Cayman economy. NIMBY is obviously a problem in Cayman. I think if half the people in this comment section had it their way, this island would be so regulated that the only thing the economy could legally sell is coconuts.
Interesting but dumb comment. Why not build a brothel there rather than a bar. All would enjoy what they get . Both locals and visitors would enjoy. Let us all make a difference.
Your response to my comment doesn’t make any coherent sense and doesn’t address any of my points.
Where do I sign up for the brothel concept?
Hey you mean the one in your uncles backyard right
The only ones gaining from more revenues are the business owners.
The people that work there get peanuts, compared to the ridiculous mark ups.
Government gets duty.
So NOTHING goes to the people or the economy.
What a great location for sunset drinks! We need more options on our amazing GT waterfront.
Really? The ones we already have don’t seem to get the business they should – hopefully you already give them your enthusiastic business.
Sick of the local favoritism. Some local get treated like locals while others are treated like dogs from the phillipines.
I find it quite comical how all these people are complaining now on a random website, but when they had their chance to raise constructive complaints to the board via the notice published in the paper, nobody said anything!! I see nothing wrong with the change of use of that little building, looking forward to some sunset cocktails!
11.34am WRONG. Check with the adjacent landowner Chris Johnson.
The Balboa Beach applicant is a completely different business owner and operator than the current. I think it will only help to boost the LOCAL economy; providing jobs and job security to LOCALS. The Balboa Beach site is so stunningly beautiful, it seems only fitting to provide both Caymanians and tourists the opportunity to sit and enjoy the stunning scenery while indulging in a cold beverage of their choice.
11.10am “stunningly beautiful” – what planet do you live on?. You must be a family member.
Wrong. Same old folks wearing a different hat. You need go next door to the free beach. Much nicer to swim from and no waverunners. Why pay ten dollars for a chair?
Ok, you are either the owner or you work there. It’s a horrible place.
Do we really need another bar when Luigi Moxam has a bar almost next door? Then Casanova is next to that. Drunks driving wave runners will be really impressive.
However it is good to see they are installing security cameras so the RCIP can see who is parking on the pavement! How the heck did the CPA allow that one. Maybe the Appeals Tribunal can fix it.
Finnally as the Purple Shack has only one toilet it could be real busy.
Balboa Beach should be renamed Noddyland Cove.
Do the purple shack people pay their staff, including pensions, etc?
Yes they do
https://www.judicial.ky/wp-content/uploads/courts/summary-court/MagistrateFoldats-SummaryCourtList-1August2018.pdf
Oh, because someone else has a business close by then another business isn’t entitled to open? Perhaps someone should explain that to the multiple t-shirt and jewellery stores? Maybe more competition would help the next bar down clean up their act.
The whole legality of Balboa beach must be cleared up before any such license is granted and would suggest even then we don’t need another booze spot. The place is an eye sore and dangerous to all and sundry. How did it ever get built?
Is that building and covering the iron shore even legal according to Planning?
According to planning, no. By way of entitlement, yes.
Influence is the Number 1 criteria. This application from Balboa Beach is sure to be granted, just another problem for local residents, along with that overloaded traffic obstruction the “Trolley Roger” that crawls along South Church St holding up long queues of traffic every day.
I notice that a sign by the Purple Shack says Private Beach and we know that cannot be right. Maybe a Beach Access Sign is required?
I just tell the tourists to enter from the fish market and then that’s the access fee that they charge to enter the beach avoided.
Should we crowdfund so as to provide a small stipend to someone currently unemployed to do that job when the ships are In?
I thought the same!
The application by the that purple shack should be turned down out of hand. The whole operation is a joke, blaring music, buses pulling up on the sidewalk blocking pedestrians and knocking off cyclists and now we will have drunk cruisers on the 60 foot beach.
GT and it’s ever increasing downwood spiral,
As the whole building and development is under appeal with the Appeals Tribunal I fail to see how any licence can be granted. The whole situation complete with dangerous wave runners is not a thing the Cayman Islands should tolerate. Wake up the tourist board.
Different strokes for different folks, remember that.
Still not as annoying or dangerous as the TROLLEY ROGER!!! Who is approving all of this trash!?!
That Trolly Roger cannot reverse and does not have seat belts, I have made many complaints as everyone else, we would not get our vehicles passed without reverse and seat belts. This is an accident waiting to happen, and not one person in authority will do what is legal and remove it from our roads.
It will get the license as you must not be aware of who the owners are.
Can you please provide some evidence of anything that you are saying here? I walk on that road every day to and from work and have never seen a cyclist knocked off there, never been blocked by any bus or heard any “blaring music”. You must be clearly talking about a different location 😉
You clearly don’t get out enough
Get your facts straight, balboa beach doesn’t even use buses or send out any tours on buses. If any vehicles are pulling up there illegally, they are the poorly local run buses and taxis. The problem is just the same on the other side of the road at the waterfront center and Dairy Queen. Balboa beach cannot be held accountable for poor driving standards which are improperly policed. The one person sitting around coming up with reasons to slander balboa beach calling it the purple shack really needs to deal with their own personal issues!!