Up until Monday, the restaurant industry in Vancouver was up in arms. Why, you ask? Because the freaking city was trying to hide some really nasty business in the recent clauses to extend liquor licenses for food primary establishments. One step forward, two steps back.

I smell a conspiracy… or maybe it’s just ‘the machinery’ rearing it’s ugly head. The same machinery which once came into my restaurant and told me that they run the city, not the elected officials. The same machinery that still thinks it’s cool to keep our liquor laws in the 1930s. The same machinery that talks about equality, equity, etc. but says you can’t open a bar because you have to go buy an existing license that doesn’t exist. Yes that machinery. Only now they have a face – it’s called Raymond Louie.

Well, the restaurant industry, thanks to James Iranizad from Hell’s Kitchen, spoke up.

Now the City’s backtracked… until someone brews an even more insidious plan. Or, maybe they’ll make it all hunky-dory and use this as a publicity stunt, because they ‘saved’ the restaurant industry – either way, the fine people that feed us ain’t pleased.

The By-Law No. 4450 amendments regarding the restaurant liquor service that were scheduled to be approved during the city council meeting on Tuesday, November 3^rd has been withdrawn. I did ask the city clerk why the decision to withdraw the By-Law was made and by who and wasn’t provided with further information.

You want details? Get if from the Straight, Hours-of-service bylaw rankles restaurateur, or from the Courier, No-fun city makes a comeback, or perhaps the Sun, City to take a second look at anti-wine bylaw… and watch your back, those ‘No fun City’ types could be lurking in your bushes.

It appears that the decline of Yaletown as foretold in a previous blog post (HERE) is slowly starting to take shape. Pretty soon the neighbourhood may resemble that of Columbia Station in New Westminster.

You know, where the drug dealers and prositutes hang out.

Why, you ask? Well, Yaletown has been on a decline for some time – it’s gone from being an elite entertainment and food district to something mediocre. Poor service is pervasive amongst a number of the establishments and now, the OPUS Hotel has lost in its bid to establish a rooftop patio.

The ‘coalition of residents’ whined loud enough to be heard yet again by council. Do you remember the last time this happened? When we lost the Molson Indy? You can read more about it on the Condo Hype blog, HERE.