Greensboro Passes Brunch Ordinance For Earlier Sunday Drinking Hours

Greensboro will now allow alcohol sales to start earlier on Sundays. Other communities in the Triad are also considering the move after the state's “brunch bill” became law last month.

Restaurants and bars in the city can now serve wine, beer, and mixed drinks two hours earlier on Sundays. Greensboro City Council voted 7-2 this week to pass the measure.

This comes after a new state law went into effect in late June. It gives local governments the power to pass ordinances allowing alcohol sales to start at 10 a.m. on Sundays instead of at Noon.

Jordan McFadden is the general manager at Scrambled Southern Diner in Greensboro. He says the changes will help businesses like his meet customer demands.

“There's a lot of cost already associated with trying to run a restaurant, especially a really busy one and it is much needed extra income,” says McFadden. “Even two hours can mean hundreds, even thousands of dollars potentially, it's a really big deal.”

Greensboro's not alone. Other North Carolina communities including Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Surf City recently approved similar measures.

In the Triad, Winston-Salem City Council is also expected to discuss the issue at an upcoming meeting. Guilford County Commissioners plan to take a second vote on the “brunch bill” ordinance next month.

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