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Atlanta city leader proposes extension of ‘last call’ hours at bars

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Published  November 8, 2023 11:30pm EST
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

4 a.m. last call proposal for bars in Atlanta

Should Atlanta bars stay open until 4 a.m.? It is the question the Atlanta City Council is considering.

ATLANTA - After years of struggle brought on by the pandemic, Atlanta’s nightlife scene could be making a comeback if a plan to extend last call at bars from 2:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. wins the approval of Atlanta city leaders. 

"This has several potential impacts on our city. There is a potential source to raising revenue…it could be very stimulating to some of the late-night bars and restaurants," said City Councilman Michael Bond. 

The "Atlanta Hospitality Act" sponsored by City Councilwoman Keisha Sean Waites marks the second attempt by a member of council to reverse the 2003 city ordinance that Atlanta’s Alcohol Technical Advisory Group recommended in response to a wave of violent crime in Buckhead. 

"The incidents of crime, of the late DUIs has been curtailed, so that is going to be part of the discussion…how do you balance that?" Bond told FOX 5. 

The proposal includes plans to pay for surveillance cameras in areas with historic crime patterns. Bond said the extra revenue could also be used to pay for programs centered around public safety like APD’s take-home car program.   

It’s an idea Buckhead resident Michael Ano says he’d like to see move forward. 

"Some people may not want to go home at 12 a.m. or 1 a.m. -- maybe people want to stay out a little bit later so I feel like the nightlife could even be redeemed in Atlanta," he told FOX 5. 

Shelly Brown is a bartender in Virginia-Highland. She said she has concerns about what may come with giving bars and restaurants the option to stay open later. 

"I think 2 a.m. is the perfect time for bars to close…everyone is pretty intoxicated at that time," she stated. "Crime might go up honestly, people are just not in the right mind, people are going to drunk drive." 

Bond said he hasn’t yet taken a stance on the issue and he’s open to hearing the arguments for and against city bars being allowed to stay open later. 

We reached out to Atlanta Police for comment on this and whether they believe it could have any impact on public safety. A department spokesperson declined to comment. 

If passed, the proposal would go into effect Dec. 31. The proposal will be introduced at the city council’s public safety committee meeting on Monday.