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Brendan Behan wins approval for a patio

The Zoning Board of Appeal today approved plans by the Brendan Behan Pub in Jamaica Plain's Hyde Square to add a 23-seat patio.

The patio would be in existing space behind the pub, which owner Michel Soltani would finish and clean up for its new use.

Soltani told the board the patio would be open in good weather and would close at 10 p.m. There would be no music, he said.

Board Chairwoman Christine Araujo expressed concern about possible noise from the patio - such as what might happen should the patio get "a rowdy crowd."

"We're not anticipating any rowdy crowds," Soltani said. "We're anticipating a relaxed place, like the bar itself."

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Comments

I don't love the idea of this. I don't really think the patio goes with the feel of the bar, but I'm sure I'll end up checking it out during the summer anyway.

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I hope they do something about the rats in that area. Trash gets stored in that alley from nearby residents and restaurants.

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Hot take: the Behan is far superior to Doyle's and is the JP bar we should actually fight to save. This is great news.

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Agreed. Galway House is better than Doyle’s too.

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As one of the last real bars left in the area, the place could definitely use more space. As far as the rowdy comment goes, it seems like this Chairwoman has a lot of sway in a city she seemingly knows nothing about, aside from maybe the one neighborhood she lives in.

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I love the Behan and with Doyle's closing, I hope that initiatives like this will keep some of Boston's beloved institutions open.

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... as the place where obnoxious smokers gather out front and create a toxic cloud that everyone else has to pass through to get down the street. Then they toss their lit butts onto the sidewalk.
It should never have received permission to open a patio.

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...but then again, i'm not a smoker, and the last time i was in there was maybe about 4 or 5 years ago.

anyway, patios count as part of the bar, and state regulations still mandate that you can't smoke or vape inside bars. you can't smoke at the Charlie's beer garden, you can't smoke sitting outside the Grendel, you can't smoke out back of Deep Ellum, i can't imagine the Behan would have special privileges because it was named after a glorified alcoholic.

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I bet you'd prefer some uppity $15 per drink cocktail bar would replace it, wouldn't you? none of those pesky blue collar folks crowding your precious sidewalk for you to push your 4-kid stroller (populated by dogs) down.

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Oh, so what. The Behan is a gem of a neighborhood gathering spot, and it's great news that they're expanding even a little bit when you consider the fates of Doyles and James's Gate nearby. I'd much rather a few sidewalk smokers than yet another empty storefront in this part of town.

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The article posted was 6 sentences long. 6 sentences. You couldn't read that to find out that the patio is in the back on the bar, away from the street. You should be thrilled they are adding a patio to keep people off the street.

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The smokers will still be out front. My objection to granting this permission to have a patio is that the bar patrons stink up the neighborhood and throw their butts all over the sidewalk. The owner doesn’t seem to care or show any consideration for the neighbors so why should he be allowed to expand?
I wouldn’t be surprised if the customers smoke on the patio regardless of the law. How nice for the people who live right behind.
We shouldn’t reward irresponsible business owners.

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If people are smoking on a PUBLIC sidewalk, even if it happens to be in front of a business, how about we hold THOSE PEOPLE responsible for their actions instead of creating more excuses to unfairly punish businesses.

And if allowing a business to build a patio on THEIR property will help them stay in business, then we should be all for it. Unless you think an empty storefront would be better for the neighborhood.

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Give it a rest. Smokers outside are not causing you a problem. What kind of special special princess do you think you are anyway? Move to the suburbs if you etc. etc.

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That being said, I think smokers shoot themselves in the foot when they toss their butts on the ground. It makes the whole group look like pigs. I don't care if you smoke, just make sure your butt ends up in the bucket.

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Sheesh, exaggerate much? What's really happening? You sometimes walk down this block and for a period of about 3 seconds you smell an unpreffered smell?

I also sometimes walk down the street and smell something unpreferred. Maybe bus exhaust, or some garbage. And sometimes there's random trash on the ground like a dunkin donuts cup or a napkin.

It would not be reasonable for me to get angry and write a complaint because I walked by a bus and saw a napkin on the ground. Nor is it reasonable for you to exaggerate your response to somebody smoking a cigarette.

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Cigarette butts are the number one litter by weight, worldwide. They are made of plastic and they don't break down. Small, they have been easy to overlook, until now, unfortunately, because their volume and ubiquity have outstripped their size. People who say get over it, should get over themselves and consider the facts.

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the street.

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also food wall is across the street <3

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Ok but this patio gives a place for the smokers to go other than the public sidewalk. This is literally the solution to the problem you’re complaining about.

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Smoking is not permitted on bar or restaurant patios.

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Smoking is not permitted on bar or restaurant patios.

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WILL THIS PATIO STILL ALLOW DOGS?

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they're smoking dogs.

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Who thinks 23 people drinking beer will be quiet? The owner!

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If there is any noise after ten, report it. State law says people get to sleep, have a quality of life in one’s home.

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