King Arthur’s is one of a handful of places that tend to be the butt of jokes regarding Chelsea – jokes that are centered on past embarrassments rather than current conditions.
However, as has been the case with other infamous digs around Chelsea, King Arthur’s strip club is no longer, with the Chelsea License Commission shutting down the joint recently and maybe for good.
License Commission Chair Jim Dwyer told the Record that the Commission revoked all licenses held by King Arthur’s late last month due to police complaints and the failure to pay more than $300,000 in taxes and fines. Beyond that, there was a bit of a technical lapse, apparently, by the ownership of the lounge.
Reports were that they closed up for awhile without notifying the Commission.
Any licensed establishment that suspends business for good or for a short time (not counting vacations) must notify the License Commission.
That, apparently, did not happen when King Arthur’s closed up, and the Commission used it as leverage to revoke the licenses.
Commissioner Roy Avellaneda said getting rid of the strip club is just another example of the positive direction that Chelsea is headed towards – noting also that the infamous Hotel Stanley on Congress Street has also changed ownership and direction.
“Though I was out of town then, I knew what was going on and what was happening and agreed with the decision,” he said. “When we talk about things going on in Chelsea, so much is moving forward. The sale of the Hotel Stanley not long ago and now the closing of King Arthur’s. There are seismic movements happening in Chelsea. Some of the things, like these two things, that people have picked on us for and made jokes about are no long up and running.”
5 comments for “King Arthur’s Stripped Bare of All Licenses”