Cape May looking to ease restrictions on public drinking

FOX 29's Chris O'Connell reports.

CAPE MAY, N.J. - Cape May is looking to ease restrictions on public drinking to help boost business down the shore during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joe Cirino came to Cape May’s legendary Ugly Mug for takeout dinner Wednesday night, but come next week he may be able to have a drink on his stroll back on Washington Street Mall.

"It's a beautiful thing. People miss that. People don’t want to be walking around with a Coke. They want to have a drink at night," he told FOX 29.

Right now, you can buy a drink for takeout, however, you just can’t drink it in public. Well, Cape May City leaders will vote on Thursday to potentially change that allowing open containers of alcohol from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the town's tourist district, including much of downtown, the promenade, and the entire beach.

"It's been reported people will drink on the beach once in a while, but we are still the same town. We have an image, but we know this is for a very limited time," Cape May Mayor Clarence Lear said.

The town's mayor says he’s not afraid of a free for all and says the open container ordinance would end in November.

"As a former police officer I felt like it would help the police officers not be put in a situation where they are faced with enforcing something at a time we want to support the restaurants and bar," Mayor Lear explained.

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