Staff Writer

GILFORD — The Board of Selectmen approved some scantily clad Bike Week entertainment at Kings Grant Inn during its Thursday meeting, though it remained firm on its decision not to allow exotic dancing at the establishment.

The board recently ruled to deny the inn dancing permits due to a "significant history" of liquor violations; five in the past three years and five more pending. The inn has fought the ruling in Superior Court with a suit against the town, but was dealt a setback with a denial of its preliminary injunction last May.

On Thursday, Sherman came before the board with attorney David Bownes with another request for exotic dancing, but also two other forms of "Unusual Entertainment," as it is listed in town ordinances, a Ms. Bike Week contest and a bike washing service.

The Bike Wash passed relatively smoothly, once selectman Alice Boucher was assured by Sherman that the outdoor washing would not bother neighbors and Selectman Kinney O’Rourke was promised there would be no serving of alcohol as part of the event.

The Ms. Bike Week Contest involves female audience volunteers competing to be the crowd favorite.

"Obviously, they would be appropriately dressed for public," said Bownes.

The board voted 2-1 to approve the contest, with O’Rourke and chair Dennis Doten in favor and Boucher against. Boucher said that she was against the event because of the significant history of violations.

O’Rourke said that he was switching his vote on the issue because it seemed to him that "Bike Week was a special time of year when a different set of rules seems to apply to businesses in the area."

In regard to the new request for exotic dancing, Bownes stressed the financial importance of the events to the board and asked what could be done to resolve the matter and get dancing back to the Grant.

"It seems to me that what you need to do is be found not guilty of these pending violations, and we’ll approve the permits," said O’Rourke.

The problem is, said Bownes, that it was unlikely that the liquor commission would hold a hearing until after a state indictment against Sherman is resolved. He requested that the board hold its own hearing to determine if the violations warranted permit denial.

O’Rourke doubted the Board had the capacity to make such a decision.

As the discussion was heading into familiar territory, Doten ended the discussion and called for a vote. As it had on previous permit requests, the board voted 2-1 to deny the permits, with O’Rouke and Boucher voting to deny the permits and Doten dissenting.