By ADAM SWIFT
PEABODY — After three years, live entertainment will return to Oliveira’s Steakhouse on Walnut Street.
The hours of operation and the entertainment license were restricted following a non-fatal stabbing in 2013. At the time, then-Police Chief Robert Champagne also recommended pulling the restaurant’s liquor license.
But Ward 3 City Councilor James Moutsoulas said over the past several years, restaurant owners have shown that they can run the establishment as a family-friendly place with no incidents.
Last week, the council approved live entertainment at Oliveira’s until 11 p.m., just short of the midnight request. The move paves the way for weddings, functions and other entertainment featuring live bands.
Moutsoulas said if Oliveira’s proves it can remain free of incident, the council could look at extending the live entertainment hours in the future.
“We are all familiar with what happened three years ago,” said Moutsoulas. “I think we were justified in doing what we did.”
During the past three years, he said he has paid attention to what has been going on at the restaurant and that he has received excellent reports.
Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin voted to approve the live entertainment, but said she was surprised by the large capacity of the building, which tops out at 500 over three floors.
“My concern is that 500 people will be spilling out into the streets,” said Manning-Martin.
Ward 6 Councilor Barry Sinewitz said he was also concerned about the capacity, and requested that the fire department report back to the council concerning that capacity.
“I think the fire department needs to go in there and look and say what the occupancy of that building is,” he said.
Attorney John Keilty, representing the restaurant before the council, said that because of parking issues, there have never been more than 200 people in the building.
Moutsoulas said he understood the concerns raised by the councilors, but added that the restaurant was not being given carte blanche to do what it wants.
“I think punishing them for three years is long enough,” he said. “If I thought in any way that they were not going to be good neighbors and comply with the laws of the city and the City Council, there is no way I would be thinking about this.”
Adam Swift can be reached at [email protected].