Drink Plans Snag Theater

Plans by a Salt Lake theater-restaurant to serve drinks to customers may violate Utah's liquor laws, a deputy attorney general said today.

Tiffany's Attic Theater Restaurant, scheduled to open May 25 in Arrow Press Square, seeks to operate as a private liquor club.

A lawyer for the firm said it proposes to sell memberships for $6; plus $6 in dues, which includes two theater-dinner tickets.

A story in a Sunday newspaper quoted a Tiffany spokesman as saying the restaurant would serve liquor without the need for bottles on the table and people having to carry their own liquor when they go out to dine.

But Deputy Atty. Gen. Robert Hansen said the whole idea may be against the law.

"If a club membership automatically resulted from making a reservation for dinner, Utah would have liquor by the drink for all practical purposes," he said.

The state's liquor laws were specifically written to eliminate liquor by the drink, he noted.

State law requires private liquor clubs to charge a membership fee and monthly dues and such a club must be non-profit, he said.