The Berkeley Beacon

Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Jordan Teicher Three Emerson students smoke outside the Gypsy Bar.

Managers of the Gypsy Bar would like students looking to suck down a cigarette between classes to know they don't appreciate all the mulling around in front of their door. Students block delivery trucks, they say.

Staff at the popular bar located next to the Walker Building at 120 Boylston St. have complained to the Emerson College Police Department about students congregating in front of the entrance during the day, despite efforts made by the ECPD and the bar's managers to keep the area open.

Though no official report was filed, Emerson Police Chief George Noonan said he would like to see Emersonians respect the wishes of the college's neighbors. Officers have begun asking students to move out from the storefront.

The problem, said day manager Tanya Cavazza, is when students don't move even after she and the delivery people ask.

"If I have a guy with 15 cases of beer, he can't get through if [the students] won't move out of the way," she said. "It's a public entryway, we need them to steer clear."

Students interviewed said they didn't care if the managers were complaining about them smoking in front of their door, since the people who go to the bar are equally disruptive to the Emerson community.

"Well, we're complaining about assholes blocking the street, getting drunk and [getting] in fights," said junior theatre studies major Brian Tweedy as he stood in front of the Gypsy Bar's doorway. "[Emerson] should give us somewhere that's convenient to smoke."

Senior communication studies major Kristen Golden said the drunk Gypsy patrons that infiltrate the lobby of the Little Building to use the ATM are far worse than Emersonians smoking outside of the bar.

"We make compromises Thursday through Saturday," she said. "If Emerson wants to have a designated place for students to smoke, there should be heat lamps and it should be in a centralized location, not on Tremont Street."

Currently, Emerson's only designated smoking area is located on the side entrance of the Little Building at 211 Tremont St.

At least one company threatened to stop deliveries if the situation isn't resolved, said Gypsy Bar general manager, who refused to give his name.

In addition to the throngs of students obstructing deliveries, students who lean up against the glass windows are endangering themselves as well as the building, the general manager said.

Continued...

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