Marty Walsh Announces That He Is Creating Late Night Task Force To Look Into Changing Curfew In Boston to 3:30am

Bostonherald – Mayor Martin J. Walsh, in a major speech today, will unveil his plan for a “late night task force” that could reshape the city’s nightlife — with a mandate to look at 3:30 a.m. closings and shake up Boston’s image as a stuffy city that rolls up its sidewalks when other major cities are still hopping. “The entire speech will be about making Boston an international center of business, and making it the most attractive city it can be to foster that,” said Chief of Staff Daniel Arrigg Koh, noting the city needs to develop a more “vibrant” and “cosmopolitan” nightlife to retain talented bio and hi-tech workers, as well as attract globe-trotting travelers who may want to grab a late steak or a glass of wine.Koh said a major thrust of the mayor’s speech today at the Boston Municipal Research Bureau’s annual meeting at the Seaport Hotel will be outlining his creation of what City Hall is informally calling a “late night task force” to focus on extending the hours bars and eateries can stay open. To that end, the group will look to create a pilot program in the less residential Seaport District to test extending the closing time of bars and restaurants, possibly easing into it by allowing establishments to serve alcohol until 2:30 a.m. but stay open until 3:30. People could keep dancing in nightclubs until that hour. The staggered shutdown would help avoid the chaos that ensues now when bars close their doors at 2 a.m., sending revelers en masse out onto the streets to compete for cabs because the T shuts down at 1 a.m. The MBTA, however, will launch a pilot soon to push weekend service back to 3 a.m. on its subway and trolley lines, and 15 bus routes.

Mumbles must be rolling around in his grave right now. I mean he fought tooth and nail against progress for the better part of 20 years. He hated nightlife and young people. His body isn’t even cold yet and Marty Walsh is already trying to undo everything he fought so hard to preserve. All I can say is thank fucking god. This is an absolute no brainer. Boston is a world class city. To compete for the best talent and best people you need to act like a world class city. That means not shutting down completely at 2am. Granted I still think this is light years away from happening, but it’s a step in the right direction for sure.

PS – If extending curfew doesn’t work and just causes more fights and chaos don’t blame me.   The only time I’m up past 10pm nowadays is when the First Lady goes to sleep early so I have complete control of the TV and snacks without being hassled so I party by myself eating bad shit and watching Jack Ryan movies till 3am.