New Owners Secure Cafe Zelda Entertainment License

NEWPORT, RI—The new owners of Cafe Zelda will be able to open their doors with an entertainment license for live music after the City Council blessed their application on Wednesday night.

The unanimous vote came after one resident, Pat Shea, asked for the council to impose some restrictions based on the possibility that there might be parking and noise concerns if the license were approved.

Shea said that the location of the establishment at 528-530 Thames St. is a small location and lists just four on-site parking spaces, which presents an issue for the neighborhood just in terms of cars. He said he has no qualms about entertainment until about 9 p.m. “and then I do care about it,” he said, requesting the council limit the hours entertainment is allowed.

The license permits entertainment from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.

“For the sake of parking, entertainment and disturbance on the neighborhood. . .this would be an increase of the use of the property,” Shea said, noting that when the license for the location was last used about 15 years ago, the music was just a piano.

City Council members rebuffed the request for limitations, noting that it would be unfair to restrict the business before it even opened, especially if it faced limits that other businesses in the same area do not.

“I don’t want to place the new ownership at a disadvantage,” said Councilor Marco Camacho.

The lawyer representing the business, Turner Scott, said that the establishment ”isn’t big enough for a band” or a lot of entertainment and suggested that the concerns about noise and traffic are premature.

The license application on file with the city indicates that the music performances would be limited to four musicians, one vocalist and guitar, piano and violin as the type of music instruments.

New owner Patrick Kilroy and his brother have just wrapped up negotiations with the bank and the seller and are due to close on the property in about a week. Because they haven’t had a chance to go in and “know what the envelope is,” Scott said it was too early for anyone to agree to certain conditions.

In fact, Scott said, there has never been a complaint about noise or parking at the restaurant and “even Mr. Shea said he didn’t have a complaint over the years.

“I think we’re overreaching to say we want to reduce it,” Scott said.

Acting City Manager Joseph Nicholson told the council that the owner of the business, whoever it is, has a right to the license in the area and cautioned councilors about legislating by “guessing at problems that may or may not occur.”

“There are some first amendment rights [issues],” Nicholson said.

Cafe Zelda closed on Dec. 11 for winter renovations with an announcement that it would be under new ownership.

Photo: Cafe Zelda via Facebook