City Officials To Evaluate Booze Policy

Concern over the number of establishments that serve liquor in the Harvard Square area has prompted a controversy that may keep a soon-to-open pizza parlor from catering to the thirsty.

The controversy broke into the open at last Tuesday's hearing before the Cambridge Licensing Commission, when spokesmen for five community groups strongly questioned the need for more liquor licenses in the Square.

The anti licensing sentiment arose last month after Ruggles' Pizza a restaurant soon to open in the former Harvard Square Theater building applied for a liquor licence.

Two other businesses also applied for licence at the same time but withdrew their bids after community protest surfaced.

No More DTs

Responding to the residents concerns the Cambridge City Council on November 1 unanimously passed a resolution calling on the commission to entrain from issuing any more now. The Ruggles application was heard despite the council's action.

The resolution sponsored by City Councilor Francis H. Duehay 55 asked City Manager Robert W. Healy to study the question of licensing in the Square.

Healy said Wednesday the city's Planning Department was working on a statistical breakdown of current licenses. However, Kathy A. Spiegelman assistant city manager for city planning, said Wednesday she knew of no plans to begin such a study.

That confusion was echoed in Tuesday's commission hearing as witnesses and commission members differed over the number of licenses currently used to Square businesses. No firm figure arose from the debate-though estimates ranged from 40 to 50.