Wild Wing Cafe will serve alcohol on St. Patrick's Day
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - A punishment is underway for a popular Savannah restaurant chain, and it's a punishment they are probably okay with.
Wild Wing Cafe pleaded their case to Savannah City Council today, fighting to keep their liquor license after three under-age drinking violations in three years.
Majority of the council members present seemed intent on issuing a suspension of the liquor license immediately, causing the restaurant to not be able to serve alcohol over the St. Patrick's Day festivities and this coming weekend.
After deciding on a one week license suspension, beginning immediately, the punishment was changed to a 10 day suspension in April and voted on.
The Savannah City Council voted 4 to 3 to suspend Wild Wing's liquor license at a later date, not immediately.
Back in October they served alochol to an underage person. It was the third time since 2006, as undercover police operations caught a bartender serving minors.
Wild Wing Cafe management told WTOC the three bartenders were all fired on the spot, and preventative measures were taken after October to make sure the violations don't happen again.
Cecil Crowley is the license holder for Wild Wing Cafe. He told the council, heis sorry and embarrassed he's here. He said he was a 57 year old granddad of three, and not here to serve underaged people.
"This is the antithesis of what we are. I'm losing sleep about this because we want to be a good citizen. There is nothing worse than your good name portrayed in a bad light," Crowley told council members.
Wild wings will have to pay a $250 dollar fine, and will not be allowed to serve alcohol for 10 days sometime in April. The exact days have not been decided.
They will also be on a one year probation status.
Mayor pro-tiem Edna Jackson supported the immediate license suspension but changed her mind at the last minute after hearing the landlord for City Market tell council about the devastating effects of losing Wild Wing Cafe business would have on small businesses in city market, and the money young employees would lose from the cut in business.
"This is the biggest weekend we have in this city and people feel these people should be penalized and a message sent. There are other ways to send a message," Jackson told WTOC. "I will tell you right now, if they show up again, with no question, I will vote for their license to be revoked. No questions."
Wild Wing Cafe refused to comment after the hearing for WTOC.
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