More than 20 restaurants in Boston's North End will close for two hours Thursday afternoon as owners and employees brainstorm ways to fight a ban on outdoor dining specific to that section of the city.
The 21 restaurant owners involved are part of a lawsuit against the city of Boston over the restrictions, which are unique to the North End. The city has said this is necessary based on the unique layout of the historic neighborhood and the number of restaurants in the area, pointing to concerns about how it affects the neighborhood's residents and quality of life. The business owners, however, argue this is discriminatory treatment and the lack of on-street dining options prevents them from being competitive with other restaurants in the city.
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In a federal lawsuit the owners are alleging they’ve lost millions in revenue due to "unequal, unfair, and discriminatory treatment of Italian restaurants.” They also want to be refunded for a $7,500 fee they paid in 2022 to be considered for the outdoor dining program.
City officials have said they are looking at ways to rework the restrictions, but so far no detailed plans have emerged. The restaurant owners said they've invited Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston city councillors and members of the state Senate to weigh in at Thursday's meeting.
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