I’ve been having a conversation by email with Stan Siebert for some time now. Stan is a Professor of Economics at the Business School of Birmingham University, Great Britain. We’ve been discussing some of the economic problems that we see here in Lakewood and nearly identical problems that are occurring in his country. He’s made a number of insightful observations, some which sound quite bizarre at first blush but rather logical after further study.

 

One of the things we discussed is how the once concentrated population of many cities both here and abroad has become spread out over large and still increasing areas. Often our local media will refer to this in terms of the shrinking city and inner ring suburbs against the growing outer ring suburbs. This line of reasoning is misleading, and rummaging through census data paints a different picture. In Northeast Ohio, the population for the area is not really growing or shrinking, just becoming diluted over a large area. While the general consensus is that this phenomenon is caused by the presence of the automobile, the notion that this is a major problem is not often discussed. Ideas for ameliorating or reversing the problem are even more rarely put forth.

 

The popular theory here is that when gas prices become sufficiently high, people will move back towards the central city. Stan debunks this notion, “I think that British cities are sprawling almost as much as in the US - the government here keeps putting in new interstates, and widening existing ones. There is even a plan to double the size of interstates all over the country!”

 

At the time of writing, gas prices here hover around $4.00 a gallon, while the prices in Britain are over $9.00 a gallon. Stan continues, “Gas prices are a weak disincentive to car use. As you say, gas prices in Britain are much higher than in the US, but we hardly notice.”

 

While automobiles are a fact of life in Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, Stan notes that in a number of European countries, cities are actually doing very well despite the ubiquitous presence of automobiles. He draws a link between these strong cities and lax liquor laws. This appears to be an odd combination, but the trick in creating a strong city appears to have much to do with a welcoming environment for alcohol consumption.

 

The key is the presence of sidewalk cafés. The theory is that sidewalk cafés create a visible population, engaged in a social activity, making for an interesting and safe place to be. In contrast, a ban on street cafés effectively transfers property rights to commuting cars, making places good to drive through but not to be in. Stan provides evidence showing that countries that permit street cafés tend to have less urban sprawl, attract more tourists, and have citizens who are less obese.

 

We discussed the sidewalk cafés that are now part of street life in New York City. Stan responds, “Like you, I have seen that NYC is exceptional in the US, in that there are sidewalk cafés, though with vestigial barriers to mark the beginning of "public" space. These cafés obviously make NYC safer.” New York City boasts that it is now the safest big city in the United States.

 

Poking through Ohio law reveals that drinking on public space is forbidden. Only outdoor music festivals that last longer than three days seem to be exempt from this rule. While we may consider that our city is much like a music festival that lasts all year, there has been another route that cities have taken to allow sidewalk cafés. Part of the sidewalk becomes a private extension of the bar or restaurant, so that no alcohol container exists in the public place. Usually some sort of short, decorative fence provides a demarcation for the private area.

 

Cleveland is experimenting with the idea. Given the crowds that appear outside bars and restaurants along West 25th in Ohio City during the summer months, giving the area a rather jovial appeal, the experiment seems to be working.

 

A number of restaurants and bars here in Lakewood have attempted various methods to give their customers outside access, especially since the smoking ban has taken effect. This is certainly a cause for concern for people who live over or next to these establishments, as they often deal with a late night eruption of intoxicated patrons leaving the closing establishment. Does opening up a bar or restaurant to the outside make noise and disruption a permanent installation to the neighborhood?

 

Stan thinks this is a real problem, and notes that our high drinking age has created a perception among some youths that intoxication is a sign of maturity. Stan continues, “British laws are even more restrictive than the US, because under-aged young people are not allowed into a bar even if they drink non-alcoholic drinks. They are not allowed, period. There is no way your children can be in a bar, which means that parents are driven out. The macho punch up is inevitable. In France, or Italy, on the other hand (where wine and beer are not classified as alcohol), many bars cater especially for young people, who do not drink much in fact, but play pool and table football, etc - and amuse themselves nicely rather than roaming the streets.”

Stan continues, “Actually, I have noticed that minors are at least allowed to be present in some bars in the US, so long as they do not drink alcohol. So families can go into these bars, which civilizes them.”

 

While changing national drinking laws is a bit much to ask, the point to note is that the intent of promoting the sidewalk café is to promote the existence of society, not intoxication. The continental European countries have been able to maintain safe and pleasant cities with the help of lax liquor laws, but there are certainly other ways to work with, or around, existing laws to do the same.