City officials say it is too early to measure impact of pilot program
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Beaufort’s new downtown social district saw a steady start during its first weekend, though city officials say it is too early to determine its overall impact.
The pilot program launched Friday, April 24, with a ribbon cutting along Bay Street, allowing visitors to carry beer and wine between participating businesses within a designated area of downtown.
City Manager Scott Marshall said early indications do not point to any immediate issues.
“Because I haven’t gotten any calls on the negative, to my knowledge there were no issues,” Marshall said.
Marshall said he has not yet received full reports from downtown operations staff or the Beaufort Police Department and does not yet have data on attendance or economic impact.
“I just don’t have that information yet,” he said.
Based on his own observations Friday, Marshall said downtown activity appeared consistent with recent weekends.
“Downtown has been busy the past few weekends that I’ve been down there, so I haven’t seen any drop off in attendance,” he said.
Whether the social district led to an increase in visitors remains unclear.
“The question will be whether there was any increase in attendance this past weekend. I just don’t know that yet,” Marshall said.
City officials say the program will be evaluated over time rather than based on a single weekend.
“We’re looking for more time than just one weekend to figure it out,” Marshall said.
The district operates Fridays through Sundays from noon to 8 p.m., and includes portions of downtown centered around Bay Street and the waterfront corridor. Boundaries are marked with signage throughout the area.
Under the rules, alcoholic beverages must be purchased from participating businesses and served in official social district cups. Drinks cannot be brought in from outside the district, carried into another restaurant or bar, or taken beyond the posted boundaries.
Alcohol is not permitted on the grassy areas of Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, and visitors are asked to dispose of beverages before leaving the district or entering a vehicle.
To help guide visitors, businesses are displaying official window clings that indicate where drinks are sold, where they are allowed, and where they are not permitted.
Locations marked “Sold Here” include businesses such as HopDog, Lost Local and Beaufort Wine, where customers can purchase beer or wine for the district. “Welcome Here” signs indicate businesses that allow drinks inside, including a range of retail shops along Bay Street. “Not Permitted Here” signs identify locations where outside alcoholic beverages are not allowed, including some restaurants and businesses that have chosen not to participate.
City officials say the social district was created to support downtown businesses and increase foot traffic, encouraging visitors to spend more time in the area rather than leaving after a single stop.
In a post announcing the launch, Main Street Beaufort encouraged residents and visitors to shop, dine and enjoy the day while reminding people to follow posted rules, use designated cups and drink responsibly.
While some see the district as an economic opportunity, not all business owners are on board.
Panini’s On The Waterfront owner Paul Thompson previously raised concerns about liability for participating businesses.
“As a licensed ABL permit holder, there is too much liability exposure in this concept the city has put forth,” Thompson said. “Our liability insurance only covers to our property limits, and by giving people cups with our names and a date and time on them and they wander off over our property limits, that leaves a huge gap where we could be liable for anything that happened.”
To better track activity, the city is working with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to monitor foot traffic within the district using geofencing technology, which will help provide more consistent data on whether visitation increases over time.
Marshall said the social district is expected to operate alongside existing events and festivals, noting that most festivals take place within the waterfront park, which is not part of the district.
As the pilot continues, city officials say they will be looking at trends over multiple weekends to determine whether the district is meeting its goals.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
