Has the bar scene on Main Street gotten out of control?
By Susan Weich
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
02/11/2006
A man who withheld his name dances next to St. Charles Police Officer Ted Holland as Holland backs up officers patrolling inside a bar on Main Street early Wednesday.
(Huy Richard Mach/P-D)
ST. CHARLES
Police pulling underage patrons from pubs. Drunken brawls spilling out onto the brick-paved streets. Young men urinating on the sides of 19th-century buildings.
Most people wouldn't expect it on Main Street, but police say these scenes are becoming more common as St. Charles gains a reputation as a hot night spot for young people.
In the past six months, more than 100 people have been arrested on misdemeanor charges ranging from disturbing the peace to assaulting a law enforcement officer, causing Police Chief Tim Swope to step up his department's presence in the area.
"This has turned into a metropolitan-wide location for people to come down and drink and sometimes get out of control," Swope said.
Bar owners say they are trying to run a clean, legal business, and while they agree with enforcing the law, they're not sure the police are going about it the right way.
"When you've got eight or 10 police officers with their night sticks drawn, I think they're looking harder than they need to find situations that are trouble," said Marc Rousseau, owner of R.T. Weiler's at 201 North Main.
Both sides agree that at night, North Main Street changes from a quiet, historical shopping and arts district to a bar hopper's haven, complete with blaring music and sometimes including female patrons dancing on the tops of bars. About 10 bars are in the area.
Steve Myers, 29, who comes to listen to bands at Main Street Bistro from his home in Florissant, sees the increased activity as a sign that his former hometown has come of age.
"It's the new Chesterfield," Myers said.
Swope says that although it's great that the businesses are thriving, the police have to make sure that everyone else visiting the area feels secure, too.
"I know that some of these things may not seem like a big deal, like public urination, but consider going down there for a nice dinner at one of the restaurants and having to deal with that," he said.
In addition to beefing up foot patrols and adding mounted officers, the city also has moved to suspend the liquor license of Main Street Bistro, 212 North Main, for what it says are repeated ordinance violations, such as underage drinking.
Bar owner Dan Byrd says he is appealing the city's action and maintains that he has done everything he can to control his patrons' behavior.
"We have staff available to quell almost any given situation, and that's what usually happens," Byrd said. "Very seldom does it get out of control."
Mayor Patti York said she and other city officials would meet this week to discuss how the city gives out and monitors liquor and business licenses. She has heard numerous complaints about the bars on North Main, she said.
"What are they expecting to happen when they put a whole bunch of people together for $1 drinks? It's just not what we're looking for," York said. "We don't want a reputation for having an area that has a bunch of troubled bars."
Swope said several recent brawls in which officers caught in the middle of five or six people suffered minor injuries had caused him to draw the line.
Swope said that part of the problem was that the pubs were drawing crowds from throughout the metropolitan area.
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By Susan Weich
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
02/11/2006
A man who withheld his name dances next to St. Charles Police Officer Ted Holland as Holland backs up officers patrolling inside a bar on Main Street early Wednesday.
(Huy Richard Mach/P-D)
ST. CHARLES
Police pulling underage patrons from pubs. Drunken brawls spilling out onto the brick-paved streets. Young men urinating on the sides of 19th-century buildings.
Most people wouldn't expect it on Main Street, but police say these scenes are becoming more common as St. Charles gains a reputation as a hot night spot for young people.
In the past six months, more than 100 people have been arrested on misdemeanor charges ranging from disturbing the peace to assaulting a law enforcement officer, causing Police Chief Tim Swope to step up his department's presence in the area.
"This has turned into a metropolitan-wide location for people to come down and drink and sometimes get out of control," Swope said.
Bar owners say they are trying to run a clean, legal business, and while they agree with enforcing the law, they're not sure the police are going about it the right way.
"When you've got eight or 10 police officers with their night sticks drawn, I think they're looking harder than they need to find situations that are trouble," said Marc Rousseau, owner of R.T. Weiler's at 201 North Main.
Both sides agree that at night, North Main Street changes from a quiet, historical shopping and arts district to a bar hopper's haven, complete with blaring music and sometimes including female patrons dancing on the tops of bars. About 10 bars are in the area.
Steve Myers, 29, who comes to listen to bands at Main Street Bistro from his home in Florissant, sees the increased activity as a sign that his former hometown has come of age.
"It's the new Chesterfield," Myers said.
Swope says that although it's great that the businesses are thriving, the police have to make sure that everyone else visiting the area feels secure, too.
"I know that some of these things may not seem like a big deal, like public urination, but consider going down there for a nice dinner at one of the restaurants and having to deal with that," he said.
In addition to beefing up foot patrols and adding mounted officers, the city also has moved to suspend the liquor license of Main Street Bistro, 212 North Main, for what it says are repeated ordinance violations, such as underage drinking.
Bar owner Dan Byrd says he is appealing the city's action and maintains that he has done everything he can to control his patrons' behavior.
"We have staff available to quell almost any given situation, and that's what usually happens," Byrd said. "Very seldom does it get out of control."
Mayor Patti York said she and other city officials would meet this week to discuss how the city gives out and monitors liquor and business licenses. She has heard numerous complaints about the bars on North Main, she said.
"What are they expecting to happen when they put a whole bunch of people together for $1 drinks? It's just not what we're looking for," York said. "We don't want a reputation for having an area that has a bunch of troubled bars."
Swope said several recent brawls in which officers caught in the middle of five or six people suffered minor injuries had caused him to draw the line.
Swope said that part of the problem was that the pubs were drawing crowds from throughout the metropolitan area.
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