Hospitality is the art and science of creating space for sociability. Responsible hospitality is providing for the comfort and safety of guests while maintaining the quality of life of the surrounding community

The focal point of this column is the evolution and revitalization of a cafe society and on the inherent need we all have to socialize. Sociability depends upon environments that are safe, comfortable and conducive to conversation, and thus result from better management of licensed beverage service, respect and provision of alternative choices, monitoring of crowds and noise, and active involvement of businesses in the surrounding community.  

In his book History of Paris Café, Scott Haine reports the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries produced a wide variety of social institutions based upon friendship and affinity: clubs, intellectual and scientific societies, reading rooms, academies, bookstores, art galleries and freemasonry. Ray Oldenburg, author of The Great Good Place, notes that the colonial tavern was vital to the political, social and economic development of society in America. Colonial governments mandated the creation of taverns, even specifying they be located near churches and meeting halls. With Industrialization, taverns evolved into saloons which were as much a target of the Temperance Movement as alcohol itself.

At the end of World War II, cities throughout the world saw a migration of people from urban environments to sprawling suburbs. For almost four decades planners decentralized and separated residential, work, shopping and entertainment. Assumptions about transportation by automobile forced people to spend more time commuting than in the community.

As suburbs sprang up, zoning codes changed preventing drinking sites and many places for people to gather informally. As the number of licensed establishments declined, more drinking was done in the home rather than in public places.

Eastern Block countries freed from the chains of oppression and global isolation are now opening their doors to tourists. Cities like Warsaw and Prague welcome visitors and are creating an economic engine from hotels, restaurants, night clubs and the other hospitality services they provide.

Western countries evolving to a service economy driven by technology are also seeing a rebirth in their center cities. Companies adapted to the changing lifestyles of technology workers and a growing demand emerged for more 24/7 dining and entertainment options.

In both cases, the growing number of young adults, with higher rates of social activity, is fueling the shift toward more on-premise drinking establishments, and concerns about underage drinking and impaired driving are simultaneously increasing.

Urban and community planners want dense dining and entertainment districts, mingled with residential housing, accessible to mass transit and convenient to offices and other work settings. They also want safe environments, clean streets and sidewalks and low rates of crime and disturbances.

The drive for a 24/7 city to attract and keep the “creative class” of high tech professionals, growing dependence of many cities on tourism, expanded enrollment in colleges and growth in local populations in college towns and the ever increasing demand for more dining and entertainment options is placing strains on many city services. Many cities are experiencing new patterns of use when traditional daytime and early evening uses are converted to a predominantly late night entertainment district catering to young adults. The dividing line between generations can be marked at 10 p.m., when one generation goes home to bed while another is getting off work and starting their social time.

There are many emerging issues and future columns will focus on them. But the following are some guiding principles for managing issues:

• Recognize beer, wine and spirits are traditional choices for sociability and remain so despite an increasing number of alternatives. Focus as much attention on reducing intoxication among those who choose to drink, whether or not they drive, as is currently directed to preventing underage drinking. Recognize also that the 21 minimum age drives a wedge in a generation and responsibly managed licensed beverage establishments provide a better vehicle for control of access for those 18-20 than more unsupervised venues.
• Recognize most people come to licensed beverage establishments to meet and socialize rather than to just drink. Enhance the establishment to make it safer, cleaner and more conducive to sociability, and recognize the role in the overall quality of life in the community. Both beverage suppliers and retailers need to continue to develop a focus on quality versus quantity and enhance responsible drinking decisions. Recognize that on some occasions people may choose to abstain and encourage retailers to respect this decision and provide appropriate adult alternatives.
• Downtown planners need to recognize the key role planning plays in maintaining the proper mix of businesses to meet the various needs of generations, genders and cultures. Create forums for open discussion on hospitality, safety and development and provide an equal voice to all perspectives in the decision making process.
• Finally, government regulatory and enforcement organizations need to adopt a “concierge government” approach with information on “how to help” rather than “how to catch” business owners, managers and staff.