During a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Select Board denied applications from Dusk Till Dawn tattoo studio for an entertainment license and a one-day alcohol license, citing safety concerns with the property. It expressed a willingness to have the applicant re-apply after a meeting with public safety officials to remedy said concerns. 

Liz Chasse, owner of Dusk Till Dawn, which is located at 3065 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham, applied for an annual entertainment license with a variety of events in mind, mostly showcases for local artists to come and play their own music for approximately 50 people, she said. 

"It's just a good way to advertise and to get people in," Chasse said. 

The one-day alcohol license would have been for an event this coming weekend, on Saturday, Jan. 27, with live music and a bar, she said. She expected between 100 and 200 people for this event. 

The studio said it had to cancel the event for now, but hopes to reschedule for later in the year. 

"Any time you get a crowd of 100 to 200 people, and especially at an event where there's alcohol and entertainment, the first thing that comes to people's mind is public safety," said Town Attorney Richard Bowen. 

The town's public safety officials had concerns about the hosting of that many people in the Dusk Till Dawn studio. 

Building Commissioner Paul Turner recommended the Select Board deny the application due to several safety concerns that rendered the building unsafe for a large assembly of people. In particular, he noted inadequate fire extinguisher coverage and the presence of couches and rugs that weren't flame retardant. 

Chief of Police Walter Correia said he thought 100 people was "probably too many for that location." He said there was inadequate parking for the building, and the street nearby was dark, making it dangerous if people were to park across the road and walk to the tattoo studio. Onset Fire Chief Jeffrey Osswald echoed Correia's concerns, and said the building was not fit for an assembly of that many people. 

Bowen recommended that Chasse put the weekend's event on hold, nail down a specific plan for the recurring events and to sit with the town's public safety personnel to make sure everything was up to code. 

The Select Board made a motion to deny both applications without prejudice, with a willingness to allow the applicant to return after having consulted with public safety officials.