Spaghetti Club Gets Delayed Suspension

Concluding that an atmosphere conducive to fighting led to a brawl between patrons this summer, the Cambridge License Commission yesterday slapped The Spaghetti Club with a three-day suspension.

The commission delayed the suspension of the club's alcohol and entertainment licenses for a probationary period of three months, during which the club may avert the penalty if the period passes without incident.

The commission also cleared a manager and bartender of allegations that they held down a pair of patrons while the patrons attempted to defend themselves in the bar fight.

The employees "acted properly in breaking up the fight afterwards, but did not act properly in having control as the fight started," said Richard V. Scali, the commission's executive officer, speaking for the three-member body.

Scott E. Griffen, the bar's general manager, said he was pleased by the commission's ruling, calling it "fair."

"The place has changed a lot. It had a bad stigma, but we're working toward changing that. It's a gradual process," he said, nothing that "we've been doing a great job for a year."

Some local residents said they were bothered by what they saw as a lenient sanction.

"It's nothing more than a slap on the wrist," said Gladys "Pebble" Gifford, president of the Harvard Square Defense Fund, who at a hearing Tuesday urged the commission to revoke the bar's licenses.

"I bet [the proprietors] are having a good laugh," she said. "If this were the first offense, it'd be different, but it's not."

The Spaghetti Club has a history of appearing before the commission. Its alcohol and entertainment licenses were suspended for a total of 67 days in 1994 for patron fights, underage drinking and "failing to remain food-oriented."

But Scali said a history of offenses only goes so far.

Responding to concerns that the incident merited a harsher ruling, Scali said "the facts of the case [would] have to match with that severe punishment."

The panel's investigation of the incident at first hinged on whether bar manager Griffen and bartender Andre Haynes had escalated an Aug. 30 fight between patrons by holding them down, as the patrons alleged.

After the two customers retracted their statements at the Tuesday hearing, that allegation lost its weight.

But the sanction imposed reflects the club's acts of negligence, Scali said.

The lack of an officially recognized manager, the failure to serve food after 10 p.m. (the bar is open until 2 a.m.), and excessive provision of alcohol to inebriated patrons all contributed to the fight, he said.

Griffen was the manager on duty the night of the fight, but because he is not "officially recognized" by the commission or by the state, the commission construed this as the "lack of a manager," according to Scali.

Scali also said that bar employees "allowed people to become intoxicated, which led to the fight."

But club employees don't think Spags, as it is affectionately known by some, has policies condusive to violence.

"[Serving food] has nothing to do with it," said one employee who asked not to be identified. "It doesn't matter on the food, it matters on the people."

He mentioned their dress code and said: "If people are intoxicated when they get here, we don't serve them," nothing also that drunk patrons are not served more alcohol. As a result of the findings, the club will be required to file a change of manager application. All of its servers will also have to complete a state-sponsored course on alcohol provision, and the club must join the Underage Drinking Task Force, a local committee devoted to preventing alcohol consumption by youth.

Businesses found to have broken alcohol statutes are required to join the task force as part punishment and part "positive education."

Griffen said the club plans to comply promptly with the ruling. He said he appreciated its remarks regarding food service, and he said that the club is considering serving appetizers until 11:30 p.m.

Haynes and James J. Rafferty, the attorney for Cranston Inc., The Spaghetti Club's parent company, could not be reached for comment yesterday.CrimsonHector U. VelazquezCambridge License Commission gave a delayed sentence to The Spaghetti Club in connection with an August fight outside the bar.

He mentioned their dress code and said: "If people are intoxicated when they get here, we don't serve them," nothing also that drunk patrons are not served more alcohol. As a result of the findings, the club will be required to file a change of manager application. All of its servers will also have to complete a state-sponsored course on alcohol provision, and the club must join the Underage Drinking Task Force, a local committee devoted to preventing alcohol consumption by youth.

Businesses found to have broken alcohol statutes are required to join the task force as part punishment and part "positive education."

Griffen said the club plans to comply promptly with the ruling. He said he appreciated its remarks regarding food service, and he said that the club is considering serving appetizers until 11:30 p.m.

Haynes and James J. Rafferty, the attorney for Cranston Inc., The Spaghetti Club's parent company, could not be reached for comment yesterday.CrimsonHector U. VelazquezCambridge License Commission gave a delayed sentence to The Spaghetti Club in connection with an August fight outside the bar.