Prior to the new council decision, restaurants and bars could only sell alcohol on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. – unlike the rest of the week when the city permits sales between 6:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.
The new rules make the sales hours uniform throughout the week.
Council member David Sevigny pushed for the change.
"For me, it's an economic development issue," he explained at a council meeting. "Lexington is a tourist destination and has a signature industry that includes bourbon. Weekends are the biggest draw. Saturdays and Sundays are prime days for capturing tourist dollars."
It’s a move that's music to the ears of restaurants hoping to expand brunch business.
Sevigny’s original proposal also called for package sales at retail stores to enjoy the same expansion, but the council was more hesitant to sign on to that change and cut it out of the ordinance. Several council members sounded open to the idea but only if the city gathered more input from residents, business owners, and law enforcement.
The new ordinance took effect immediately upon passage Tuesday.
