While the new owners of the Escape Restaurant are doing everything they can to survive on the Downtown Plaza, certain residents are making their lives miserable.
Last weekend they had a small band playing music outdoors on their commercial property and one resident made numerous phone calls to the Salisbury Police Department and they were ultimately forced to shut down the music. They even complained about the music being payed in the garden center at Parker Place.
Mind you Folks, this is a commercial property and they are allowed to hold music. Those residents who live on the Downtown Plaza knew what they were getting into when they PURCHASED their commercial property and turned it into residential. Mind you, there's only ONE person complaining.
How are any of the businesses supposed to survive when and if the Downtown Plaza is in fact revitalized? Because of one resident, the Police are going to enforce such a thing? Where's Urban Salisbury when you need them!
31 comments:
Name names Joe, who is complaining? Don't tell me it is that fruitloop psych doc??
Isnt that the case for everything these days? One person complains or is offended and then the majority loses out.
No it's definitely a resident... they call all the time!
Downtown residents have a reasonable expectation of quiet after a certain time of night. There's an ordinance that says so.
If anyone plays loud music or creates a disturbance after that time the police will shut them down.
If a business wants to change the ordinance, they should get a petition to City Council.
Main Street isn't Bourbon Street. People who live downtown want to enjoy it all the time; not just when the the bars and restaurants let them.
The rights of a resident will always come before those of a commercial property. Get over it. Businesses can't make it downtown because it's a lousy location, so the emphasis should be on bringing more residential living spaces there.
Anonymous said...
The rights of a resident will always come before those of a commercial property. Get over it. Businesses can't make it downtown because it's a lousy location, so the emphasis should be on bringing more residential living spaces there.
10:11 AM
Dumb comment from an obvious slum lord!!
the law is the law, not just when you want it to be
I have no idea what type of music was being played, but apparently it was appropriate for the folks that frequent that restaurant. Maybe they could tone it down a bit. I just have no idea. I DO know that we went to Cafe 54 a year ago and they had someone playing a guitar from Princess Anne, I believe he said and he was awesome. Maybe try something a bit "toned down" to accommodate everyone. BUT, do not stop the music just for 1 person. Maybe I will bring my dog and let him bark and see how the complainer likes that.
The law IS the law and it IS followed. The problem with this certain resident is he's complaining and wanting things to be shut down before the legal noise ordinance, which Escape always follows diligently, comes into effect. Police who showed up to see Blue Light Special, for example, commented that it was so ridiculous that they were even there and that if they were off duty they'd be at the show too.
Shut down at 10:30 on a Saturday night two weekends in a row. Come on, do you want the downtown to survive or not? I could see if it was a week day, or after midnight.
Who might be behind this? It would be like pulling teeth to find out . . .
I am currently a resident downtown and I am a returning customer of Escape. I really enjoy the place and the owners are extremely accommodating and welcoming time and time again. I can understand the location of the band being a problem because it is outside and after hours so maybe it'd be reasonable to reconsider where the band sets up at certain times. However, I do not think it's something that should be made into a huge ordeal all because one resident is unhappy. This person should not be attempting to trouble the small business but to come to a happy medium that satisfies both customers and residents. Instead he/she is putting down our local downtown restaurant.
I was in town from Baltimore that weekend trying to see my friend's band, The Larks, play at Escape and by the time we got there they were shut down already.
This is pathetic. Before this person made the decision to move to the downtown area of Salisbury they should have thought about what the word downtown means and what the city is trying to do. I live in Baltimore and I know not to move to certain areas because I do not want it to be loud every night.
It is people like this who are causing the economy of Salisbury to suffer. Let the town have some character! Give the people something fun to do. Show people that Salisbury is more than chickens and corn!
Escape is not a trashy bar...it is actually one of the classiest places I have seen in the Salisbury area. It is the perfect little space for live music. Mind you, the crowd there that night was families and in the 30+ age range.
I think perhaps the person who said "fruitloop psch doctor" wins the guessing game!! He is a resident.
I think the law should be followed unless changed. That means the Escape can play music within the time limits and residents need to understand they live DOWNTOWN and they can be without the music AFTER the lawful set time.
The music is part of the downtown atmosphere! As my kids would say, DUH! If you don't like it, MOVE! It really is that simple.
No JT, what's hilarious is the fact that you'll attempt to put up numerous, nasty comments each and every day and they get rejected. Yet you keep coming back every single day, all day long and try to get one through.
Joonathan, look up what insanity means because you are insane.
It is downdown, it is a city atmosphere. People live there because it feels like city living. Guess what, there is noise in the city. Live with it or get yourself a farm in the country.
Have you confirmed that it is the Doc and that is why you have not posted my remark earlier?
anonymous 1:42, I've known from the begtinning who it is. I have ONLY rejected the comments that were wrong.
Clearly Downtown is primarily a commercial area, not residential. The attempt to revitalize Downtown, which has been going on for years, will not succeed until there is some "excitement" going on. One way to generate excitement and vitality is to have restaurants with entertainment.
Escape is a wonderful restaurant. It is a cut above most of the other ones in town. If Escape's owners are to be sucessful--after all, we cannot even count the number that have failed in this location--they need to draw customers (Duh!). This means, among other things, having music, just as Brew River does. If Downtown could produce the kind of atmosphere that drew people to it at night (rather than the present, where 5:00 produces an exodus of all the office workers) , then Escape and other ventures could flourish.
Another way for Escape to draw customers is one that I suggested to them in an e-mail. They need to petition the City to do away with parking meters on the street in back of the restaurant. Why should patrons need to feed the meters just to enjoy a meal? Escape could do a thriving lunch business if not for the meters. (Yes, I know, one can park in Lot 10 for two hours and then walk to Escape, but what an inconvenience.)
Let's do all we can to patronize Escape and the other businesses downtown. Let's not let one resident call the shots. (Like others, I knew who the resident likely is before reading any comments)
I still giggle everytime some calls the center of salisbury: DOWNTOWN, CITY like atmosphere...
Let the band play, the cops should have told the 'person who complained' that they, Escacpe, were NOT breaking any rules, and if they called again, they should have been cited for calling for nothing.
Aside from laws, which I'm sure the owners are happy to abide by, when you buy a place or intend to live in a urban setting where there are bars and restaurants, you should know well ahead there will be some noise/music. It's a given!
whoever it is should lighten up and go grab a beer themselves they might actually enjoy themselves
The noise from Brew River echoes across the river and is insane at times. Tell the complainant to head down that way on a Fri or Sat night and see what he/she could be hearing. Plus, I dont recall hearing about weekly weekend brawls at Escape as opposed to Brew River. On another note: Hey Brew River, Monkey Barrel and Gullys: Keep feeding your patrons straight shots right up until 2am then push them out the door to fight in the parking lot or cause problems at Wawa and Royal Farms. What the hell, then its the SPDs responsibility, right? Contributory negligence, douchebags.
Whoever complained is very selfish or evil( one of the two). But you know what, you actually helped Escape Restauraunt. Here is why. I know the food business very well. I have been in the business all of my life. This restaurant is one I would recomend because of the quality of the food -the exceptional value- the cleanliness- the creativty in the menu. Escape will be one of the places to go in Salisbury. Salisbury and our beautiful downtown need this restaurant to succeed. The last thing dowtown needs is another dark and closed door. Help bring life to our city!
To the person downtown that is complaining about the music. A warning. Be careful of what you wish for, you keep complaining and then the restaurant closes from lack of business and then another closes and then downtown is more vacant than it already is. That will mean more run down buildings, more crime, more neglect. Be careful what you wish for.
I like Escape and wish them well, I was introduced tho their weekend breakfast last weekend and I am a big fan. I hope they have more outside music.
Second, what is the music ordinance, do they have a decible level to adhere to? OC has had one for years and they have to measure it to see if they are in violation. SPD has such a turnover, I would be surprised if they have the equipment and there is still someone that knows how to use it there.
this is similar to car stereo competitions. We held a competition at our store and RESIDENTIAL neighbors that weren't even OPEN at the time called the police on us. The event was for a fellow competitor who passed away after a battle with cancer at a young age.
Having been a property owner in the downtown for 12 years now, I was soooo excited when I drove down the plaza Saturday night and heard the music. I thought it was great, it felt like the downtown was alive.....what an awesome feeling it was. I was saddened when I learned the police were called not once, but twice. I know everybody wants Escape to succeed, we need to work together. Cindy and Tony are the hardest working couple, they are doing ALL of the right things.....great food, great service, very reasonable prices, and entertainment. I love our downtown, but make no mistake ...it is a difficult place to be in business, let's not make it any tougher.
oops... my earlier post at 8:48am should have said COMMERCIAL not residential neighbors.
(I will now wear a "dunce" hat the rest of the day)
I too run a business downtown, last saturday night we had a fabulous musical theatre production that involved over 20 kids ranging from 7 - 19. We had no problem with sound, although you could hear it lowly at quiet moments in the play - it added a nice "FINALLY the Downtown is alive agian" atmosphere and didn't disturb any of our patrons. As a matter of fact, some of our patrons went over at 10 when our event was finished. I have yet to find anyone who can actually state the noise ordinance correctly, so far today I've heard three variations. My understanding is that it is 10 pm Sun - Thurs. and either 11 or Midnight on Fri. & Sat. Maybe someone can let us all know the correct version...all of us want to support downtown and follow the rules. Let's just get along:)
Surely the complainer has heard brew river on weekends in the summer. They haven't been shut down. If no one else has complained, please allow me. (We don't live as close as downtown, either.)
I am a resident downtown and although I hear music from time to time....I'm used to it. It's a part of residing on The Plaza. It's really sad to see this much drama being created from ONE FUSSY neighbor. Does he/she call the police when we have the 3rd Friday event? If you want to talk about
loud, that 3rd Friday event is louder than anything. Is the bellyacher going to try to shut that down as well? Or how about the Downtown Festival? Both of those events are much LOUDER than Escape's bands. As a matter of fact, I live extremely close to Escape and I've never even heard their music. Shame on the GRUMP!! If you don't like the events downtown, then move. The complainer shouldn't make everyone else unhappy just because he/she cannot find a way to either ENJOY IT or drown it out. AND GET OVER IT. Life is too short to be sweating the small stuff.
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