An Oakland restaurant will lose some of its outdoor dining privileges after a Facebook photo of patrons packed in its outdoor bar area the night before Thanksgiving was shared dozens of times on social media.
Borough Mayor Linda Schwager called a special meeting Monday night to find out why it was allowed to happen.
“What I saw in the picture was a mob of people. No masks, no social distancing, and drinking,” Schwager said Monday of the image of Portobello restaurant. “You don’t think that calls for a special meeting to find out what happened and what we can do?”
At the council meeting held via Zoom at 6 p.m. Monday, which involved the borough attorney, police chief and zoning enforcement officer, the council supported a motion to shut down Portobello’s outdoor dining license at 4 p.m. every day for a period of 30 days. It was previously allowed to stay open later.
The restaurant’s owner will be required to meet with the council during its Dec. 9 or 21 meeting before the 4 p.m. restriction can be removed from the license, Council President Russell Talamini said.
The order will be enforced by both the police department and local health department, council members said.
No one associated with Portobello, an Italian restaurant with a catering and banquet business next door, was invited to the meeting, Schwager said. The controversy was first reported by NorthJersey.com.
Reached earlier Monday, Vincent Amen, son of restaurant owner Frank Amen, said the crowd was “an anomaly” and won’t happen again. He said police in town have been monitoring the bar to make sure it shuts down at night by 11 p.m. as required, so they know first hand that it is usually not that crowded.
Police Chief Keith Sanzari and Detective Mark Piercy, whom the mayor said was working on the investigation, did not return messages seeking comment Monday afternoon.
The night before Thanksgiving is always a big bar night because people return home for the holiday and want to get together with old friends, Amen said. He said the business hired additional security that night — a total of six off-duty police officers — to work at every entrance, but they were still overwhelmed.
“We did anticipate a bit of a larger crowd. And we had some issues, because the people were pushing through,” he said. He said Oakland police eventually came to help security disperse the crowd, but he didn’t know if that was at or before closing time.
Oakland officials will hold a meeting to discuss photos showing a large crowd on the patio of Portobello on the night before Thanksgiving.Google Maps
Amen said the borough had approved their outdoor dining plans, which include 160 seats set up in an area in the parking lot and space for 70 people in the patio area. Social distancing is required and masks are to be worn when people aren’t drinking or eating.
“Regardless of any decision or meetings, we will take a closer look at the protocols and ensure something like this anomaly won’t occur again,” he said.
Administrator Richard Kunze said the council meeting was held in executive session because it is a public safety issue. The council took action after the virtual meeting returned to open session.
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