No legal issues despite numerous beer venues

Kennett Square has many brewpubs, but this has not led to a rise in drinking-related incidents in the borough.

KENNETT SQUARE >> When council handcrafted an ordinance permitting brewpubs in the borough a few years ago, many people feared a rise in public drunkenness, a spike in DUIs, and other problems associated with drinking.

But none of that has happened.

“We get a lot of criticism that there is too much beer in town,” Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick said recently. “But here’s the thing - we make no arrests. Zero. We have not made an arrest at the Brewfest in the past seven years.”

A year-end report filed this week showed the number of DUIs has declined, from 52 in 2014 to 45 last year. Kennett Square Police Lt. William Holdsworth told council that there have been absolutely no drinking-related problems at the borough’s brewpubs or restaurants serving alcohol.

For a town of just one square mile, Kennett Square has lots of places to enjoy cold suds. There’s Victory Brewing Co. and Kennett Brewing Co., both brewpubs offering unique, homemade craft beer. And last year, the Creamery, a pop-up beer garden opened during the warmer weather, enjoyed great success.

And then there’s the Brewfest, where tickets sell for up to $75, Winterfest, the Mushroom Festival, a Victory Brewing Co. Street Party, Cinco de Mayo and even the Kennett Run, where beer flows freely for anyone over age 21 after the race. Brewfest and Winterfest attract thousands of people, and those events are typically always sold out. Beer stations were even set up for last year’s Music in the Park, a music series at Anson B. Nixon Park featuring local talent that has become extremely popular.

“This is not collegetown drinking,” said Fetick, a former West Chester police officer. “There is responsible drinking (at the festivals and events). Quite honestly, I don’t care if we become known as a small-town brewery and as a destination for people to come and drink beer. As long as it is done responsibly, I am in support of it.”

Criminal arrests have declined from 270 in 2014 to 221 last year. But the number of traffic citations increased, from 770 in 2014 to 880 last year. There were 705 fewer parking tickets issued last year compared to 3,699 handed out in 2014. Police issued 505 written warnings last year.

There were 8,601 calls to police in 2016, an average of more than 23 per day. Police traveled more than 57,000 miles last year.

“That’s a high number for one square mile,” Holdsworth said. “There are a lot of active patrols.”