Wake Up New York City!
While it is not the express purpose of this egroup to bombard it's members with political messages sometimes an issue comes up that I think needs to be shared with everyone on this group. While the main reason for this group is to keep members informed about events at Raven it is also important to keep members informed about issues that effect Raven and the whole bar industry as well.
I'm writing this because last year I flooded your inboxes about the smoking ban. That stopped when Sandee Wright of the Whiskey Ward and I started TUFFNYC(Taverners United For Fairness). Now there is a place for anyone involved in the bar or club industry to go to get all the latest on the ban and on the subject I'm about to introduce. If any of you are interested please feel free to join.
So what's all the hubbub? Plans are in the works at the Dept Of Consumer Affairs and at City Hall to close down all bars and clubs in NYC at 1 am. This is really going to happen unless we start fighting this NOW!

So if you thought the smoking ban sucked or even if you didn't mind the ban, try this one on for size.
The city is asking us to take a 21 hour cut. And at our busiest hours at that. That's when the party is just getting started. That's when the momentum of a great night just kicks in. That's what pays the bills and keeps places like your favorite bar open. Now the city would ask you to go home at 1am. Gosh, we all may as well move to Altus Arkansas.

The city will say that they've gotten too many complaint about noisy streets late at night and they've got to do something about. And they'll haul out every so called neighborhood activists who ever went before a community board with a complaint letter in hand. That's not say that people don't have legitimate grips about bars and clubs in their neighborhood. Lord knows our industry isn't exactly made up of saints.

But there are also many bars and clubs that do respond to their community. And bars like Raven are a safe haven on what was once a dark and dangerous corner.

What is most unfair about this whole thing is that if it weren't for the smoking ban the streets wouldn't be nearly as noisy. But the city won't hear that. They'd rather destroy NYC's nightlife rather than work out a solution that would make everyone happy. And believe me, there are solutions. But the people who run the city government don't care about that. They look at bars and clubs as havens for crime and drugs. "Buckets of Blood " is what the Guiliani administration used to call them. Buckets of Bucks is more like it, the way our industry is taxed and regulated.
We add billions of dollars to the city's and state's economy every year and we are treated like vermin. Did anyone ever think that we would miss old Rudy? He was no friend of NYC's nightlife and he put many clubs out of business. (Coney Island High is one that comes to mind. Man, that was a great club). But at least he realized that smoking bans would be no good for the city's quality of life or it's economy.

If you are a member of this group I would expect that you love to go out and enjoy the nightlife. So this is going to effect everyone of you. Are you gonna just go home at 1am and be good little New Yorkers or are you going to take a stand?
Our actions are only in the planning stages now so watch this space for more news.

This is how David Rabin, president of New York Nightlife Association explains it in a posting on the TUFF group:

"Harold is unfortunately right...the supposed "no more cabaret" law is nothing of the sort...where you can dance and not dance is solely determined by zoning and use group...Dept of Consumer Affairs isn't changing zoning...in fact, although they will no longer issue or enforce cabaret laws (if this law comes into play....hearings may be as soon as March/April), but...they will force over 1000 places to have to get a post-1 Am licensethat is very easily revoked via very subjective criteria and without due process...Dykstra used the dancing scam to get press for how great she is, but the actual proposal is the biggest threat to nightlife that we have ever faced

we will detail more in the near future

our first goal is actually NOT to attack this in the press yet b/c we don't want it to become a rallying call for crazy anti-nightlife neighborhood people

we are first going to try for the next month or two a sustained and broad based campaign to lobby the city council against this bill

but Harold is also right in that in order for us to convince potential liquor sponsors that we speak for the industry in NYC, we need as many
members as possible...so please do contact bob

also, if you still have smoking ban petitions...get them to NYNA or sponsors...
can the ban (and can the 1 AM license proposal)
to the address in Albany listed on front...this is also important to our

David Rabin"

For more information get in touch with NYNA's executive director Bob Zuckerman, bob@nyna.org .

Bartenders take note, NYNA is offering membership to individual bar and club workers at a deeply discounted rate.You don't have to be an owner to join anymore.

Joining NYNA will make them stronger and better able to fight this and other issues. It will also give you an opportunity to take an active part in your industry at a price you can afford.