Mary Haley Senior Writer
Just before the spring semester started on Jan. 7, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Council Member Eric Dinowitz and the Bronx Community Board Eight released a statement regarding the supposed closing of Fenwicks Pub on W 238th St.
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According to the statement, residents near Fenwicks Pub had been complaining for weeks about quality-of-life issues. Among these complaints were experiences of late-night noise, rowdy behavior and after-hours operations. Assemblyman Dinowitz, Council Member Dinowitz and the Bronx Community Board Eight sought to end the complaints, which led to the New York State Liquor Authority and the 50th Precinct withdrawing Fenwicks Pub’s liquor license. The bar continued to serve alcohol.
“With the confirmation that the business was operating without a valid liquor license, an investigation was performed by the 50th Precinct and the Vice Enforcement Division,” the statement said. “An operation was conducted by the NYPD, violations were issued, arrests were made, all alcohol on the premises was confiscated, and the storefront was locked.”
The bar did not always have these delinquency problems, though. A 2014 article from The Quadrangle reported that Fenwicks Pub was responsive to neighborhood complaints, as explained by Joe Crotty, one of Fenwicks Pub’s former owners.
“We call them most of the time. I actually called them [Saturday]. […] We try to do our part, we work closely with the police, we’re at community board meetings, we follow all the rules and regulations that they want us to.”
The statement expressed relief that Fenwicks Pub was closed, as it is a hopeful end to the quality-of-life concerns from Riverdale residents.
“Thank you to the 50th Precinct and the Vice Enforcement Division for their coordinated effort that helped secure this location,” the statement said. “Our residents deserve safe, quiet nights, and this outcome shows what is possible when residents, local community boards, elected officials and enforcement partners work together.”
Fenwicks Pub’s brick-and-mortar is just up the street from Manhattan University’s campus, attracting many students. Oftentimes, going out to bars in New York City can become inaccessible and expensive for college students and young people. An anonymous MU student spoke about why Fenwicks Pub was a solution to this problem, and how it feels that it is now closed.
“I feel like [the closing] is a little bit upsetting, just because we never really got to what [Fenwicks Pub] used to be like,” an anonymous source said. “The only times that I think we went to [Fenwicks Pub] was when it was very packed and hyped up and had that college bar experience during welcome week, Halloween and Manhattan Madness. It was fun to see everyone from our school there because if you go to bars in the Fordham area, you’re going to see way more Fordham students. So it was nice to have something that was, [MU] centered.”
Jasper’s Deli, a 24-hour deli directly next to Fenwicks Pub on 238th St, would attract many bar-goers late into the night. The Quadrangle spoke to Jay, a Jasper’s Deli employee that has been working there for the many ebbs and flows of Fenwicks Pub’s business.
“I’m looking forward to if somebody comes and reopens it to make it like how it used to be, back even just a few years ago,” Jay said. “[Fenwicks Pub] had strict rules, but all of the college kids felt safe to come. You want students to feel safe to go there. You don’t want people to go there thinking something’s gonna happen.”
The Quadrangle is continuing to investigate this story.