CROWN HEIGHTS — A popular neighborhood bar is moving ahead with a plan to bring live music and extended hours to its Bedford Avenue location after getting the green light from the area’s community board over concerns from neighbors.
The owners of Catfish, located on Bedford Avenue near Prospect Place in Crown Heights, hope to host acoustic music performances at their New Orleans-inspired eatery and bar, according to an application to alter their current liquor license, which would also extend their hours to 2 a.m. every day.
Currently, the spot is open until midnight Sunday to Thursday and until 1 a.m on Friday and Saturday.
The musical acts would take place inside the restaurant during “jazz brunch”-type events or during dinner hours before 10 p.m., according to the attorney for the bar’s co-owners, Maxx Colson and Devin Ayers, who presented the application to Brooklyn Community Board 8 Monday night.
Before approving the changes, the board heard from at least three neighbors of Catfish who attended the liquor license committee meeting to say they did not support the extended hours and live music, citing repeated issues with noise and smoke coming from patrons outside of the restaurant.
“We can’t open our windows,” said Yolanda Philpotts who lives in the building next to Catfish. “To give them free license to move forward for the extended hours, I just don’t see it happening.”
Elaine Bowen, a member of the Rogers Avenue Block Association and resident who lives across from Catfish’s rear yard, acknowledged that the bar’s owners have attempted — through ongoing mediation sessions with locals — to ameliorate smoke and noise issues, but haven't done enough.
“Until we see demonstrated control of their patrons over time, I think we are not ready to support their proposal,” she said.
In response to those concerns, members of the board suggested two proposals that would have scaled back Catfish’s original proposal, including one that removed their request for live music and another that would allow a 2 a.m. closing time on weekends only. However, both of those measures failed; the board ultimately approved the restaurant’s original plan with 10 in favor, three opposed and three abstentions.
The live music and new hours at Catfish will not take effect until the State Liquor Authority approves the liquor license changes, as well. The restaurant’s owners said they have made no specific plans for the music line-up at Catfish and are waiting for final approval from the SLA to move forward.
Catfish is located at 1433 Bedford Ave.
