Club Bene gets license
approval, with strings
SAYREVILLE — The borough has decided to renew the liquor license of at least one borough nightclub — with conditions.
In a unanimous vote on Monday, the council decided to allow Club Bene, Route 35, the tentative renewal of their liquor license.
A final ruling on the resolution was expected to be read yesterday prior to the hearing for Club Abyss.
Under the proposed resolution, a total of nine changes must be made:
• The club must have valet parking unless waived by the chief of police.
• There will be no re-entry into the club unless patrons pay another cover charge.
• All staff must have a police issued photo identification.
• The club must have a last call of 2:30 a.m. and all music must be over by 2:45 a.m.
• The parking lot and surrounding area of the club, including nearby residences and streets, must be cleaned up by 10 a.m. following an event.
• There shall be a zero drug tolerance sign put up inside of the club reading that violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
• There will be no alcohol served on teen nights.
• There will continue to be an 18 to get in, 21 to drink rule, but anyone over 21 will be required to wear a wrist band designating that they are allowed to legally drink.
• Security for the club will now have to wear brightly colored uniforms.
In June, borough police formally filed an objection to the renewal of Club Bene’s liquor license, as well as the licenses of two other borough clubs.
According to Chief of Police John Garbowski, the club had a total of 49 reported incidents between the May 1999 and June 30, 2000, most of which were outside of the club.
The club has been the focus of various incidents throughout the year.
On May 28, 1999, and again in June of this year, police had to call upon the assistance of Old Bridge and South Amboy police after 300-400 club patrons began fighting outside of the club.
The club was also one of three locations involved in a two-day drug investigation in May for ecstasy. That investigation, coordinated by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and borough police, culminated in the arrest of 32 patrons and employees at various clubs and brought attention to the borough.
"We can never again allow our clubs to go into the papers the way they did in May, ever again," Mayor Kennedy O’Brien said.
Club owner Tom Beninato agreed to comply with the borough’s wishes.
"We do want to cooperate," said Beninato. "We do want to be good neighbors."
Garbowski said he feels that the borough and the club have come to a compromise.
"We’ll see if it works out," said Garbowski.
— Takesha Pettus

