Berret’s Seafood Restaurant and Taphouse Grill now has expanded opportunities for live music in downtown Williamsburg.
While Colonial Williamsburg’s Goodwin Square project was removed from the agenda Thursday, City Council voted to approve an application by Berret’s Seafood Restaurant and Taphouse Grill to build an outdoor event venue — and 8-by-8-foot stage — on its property.
Council voted 4-0 to approve a special use permit for the project, which would be on Colonial Williamsburg’s property. Mayor Paul Freiling recused himself from the vote because he works for Colonial Williamsburg.
The vote also covered the approval of a zoning change that will allow permanent outdoor event spaces with the approval of a special use permit in the B1 Downtown Business District, where Berret’s is located.
“This effort to help an existing business, and one that’s been in town many years, to kind of evolve their business into something even better, I think is a great opportunity for the city and all of its residents and visitors,” Councilman Doug Pons said.
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The change now means Berret’s can host live acoustic and amplified music seven days a week any time of the year, although Berret’s said the events will likely be from May to October.
The special use permit would also allow a new 36-by-26-foot patio by the stage. The new patio would add 936 square feet to the Taphouse Grill’s existing 300 square feet of outdoor space.
In other business…
Colonial Williamsburg’s annual ice skating rink also secured a special event license for operations. Council voted unanimously — with Freiling again abstaining — to approve the license.
Jeff Duncan, vice president of real estate for Colonial Williamsburg, said the rink has 15,000 to 20,000 skaters per year.
“I would say it skews more … to locals,” Duncan said of the local versus tourist usage of the rink.
