You can now drink booze on St Pete Beach— but only if you’re staying in a beachfront hotel!
The city of St Pete Beach passed new rules Tuesday night allowing alcohol to be drank in hotel cabanas. Some local residents challenged the new rules because only hotel guests will be able to partake.
Before Tuesday night, St Pete Beach had a ban on all alcohol consumption on the beach.
Here’s how the new law will work: People drinking alcohol must be registered guests at a hotels. Hotels will have to apply for annual permits in order to sell the alcohol on the beach.
There are 17 hotels that rent cabanas currently, but other hotels would be allowed to apply for an annual permit through the city’s review committee. People planning to drink alcohol must also wear a wristband with the hotel’s name. Guests drinking alcohol have to stay close to the hotel and cabana and may not bring their drink down to the gulf water (the rule says no closer than 50 feet from the wet sand). The drink also has to be in a cup with the hotel’s name.
St Pete Beach also will also only allow alcohol sales and consumption on the beach from 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Again, the new laws do not apply to anyone not staying in a hotel with cabanas. The only place adults can legally drink on the beach is Treasure Island (except the area outside of Caddy’s Bar and Restaurant) and Madeira Beach (except at the beachfront park at 14400 Gulf Blvd.) All other beaches, including Clearwater Beach, do not allow alcohol consumption.
Several beachfront hotels pushed for the change after requests from hotel guests.
St Pete Beach says any hotels not following the rules could be at risk of losing their privilege to serve and allow guests to consume drinks on the beach.
