“You will be shocked about the number of conversations you can hear from my bed,” said a resident who lives near Phil’s. “They’re animals. Friday and Saturday night, it’s like an animal town.” These complaints have led to a popular bar raising its drinking age limit to 25.
Looking for the perfect night out? If you’re under 25, then Phil’s Crummy Corner in Brooklyn is not the place for you. The popular bar in New York is raising the drinking age to 25. This is an attempt to curb a rowdy weekend crowd. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act bans all under 21’s from buying or consuming alcohol in public, yet this bar believes that this law isn’t strict enough.
The decision to raise the drinking age
Isabel Santiago, restaurant manager at Phil’s Crummy Corner at 323 Columbia St., told DNAinfo New York that in the rise of neighboring complaints about rowdy crowds, discarded bottles, and late-night shouting that wakes up locals, they are raising the drinking age limit to 25.
The bar is notorious for its Friday and Saturday night parties, which critics say can drag on until 2-4 am. Some notable complaints made by neighbors to the bar claim that: “You will be shocked about the number of conversations you can hear from my bed,” one resident who lives near the bar said at the meeting. “They’re animals. Friday and Saturday night, it’s like animal town.”
Since December 2012, 22 311 calls have been made complaining about loud music and parties in and around Phils Crummy Corner. Residents say that they’ve often observed locals drinking on the street and leaving their empty bottles on the sidewalk and in their gardens. This has even escalated to a 25-year-old woman being punched and kicked by a group of people outside Phil’s Crummy Corner bar on Columbia Street. The police were informed that she was attacked by four people at 3:40 AM.
With this in mind, raising the drinking age in this district seems to make a lot of sense. Explaining the restaurant’s decision to DNAinfo, Santiago said, “Their quality of life is our concern,” referring to the binge drinkers known to frequent her establishment. Phil’s is working to create a “quiet family place” and has recently hired a bouncer. Community Board 6 and the NYPD have also discussed increasing police presence around Phil’s on weekend nights to avoid scenes of violence in the future.
Should the National Drinking Age be raised to 25?
There is much debate as to whether the National Minimum Drinking Age should be raised to 25. In recent discussions, some are arguing that young adults are less likely to drink responsibly. This can have other consequences ranging from an increase in anti-social crime to damaging the developing human brain.
Alcohol can have detrimental effects on the body, especially the brain. The frontal lobe of the brain doesn’t fully develop till the age of 25. This means that people under this age tend to have issues making decisions and indulge in impulsive behavior. If you combine this with alcohol, it can lead to irresponsible choices that have led Phil’s Crummy Corner to put this age limit into place.
Want to read more about the effects of Alcohol on young adults, click here.
Is refusing alcohol to people above the drinking age limit legal?
Whether or not you agree or disagree with this decision, the matter of legality comes to the forefront. Business owners are allowed to exclude minors from their bars or restaurants, especially if alcohol is served. Nonetheless, public accommodation laws prohibit private businesses from discriminating against customers on the basis of gender, race, or disability. Yet, they generally don’t restrict policies based on age.
However, the New York City Human Rights Law does prevent discrimination based on age. This suggests that the individuals being refused service could potentially file a complaint for discrimination.
In the face of the law, Phil’s Crummy Corner can legally reserve the right to refuse service to pretty much anyone. This means they can also bend these rules for patrons younger than 25 who are known by the owner.
What do you think?
Do you think that this decision is a fair one to make? The majority of disorderly behavior may be committed by the 21-24 age group. This doesn’t mean that everyone in this age bracket should be refused service. Where’s the fun in that?
Others observing this decision have suggested that businesses could instead offer discounts to an older customer clientele. This could be similar to “Ladies Night” discounts – in order to attract a less impulsive and anti-social crowd.
It’s a great decision that the bar is taking these steps to create a nicer environment for their neighbors. However, I’m sure this choice has left a sour taste in some under 25’s mouths.
