By JOHN KOZIOL

Staff Writer

LACONIA — While granting two others, the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission on Wednesday turned down the Naswa Resort’s request for a Bike Week beer tent.

The commission, according to a summary provided electronically by the commission, approved the applications of the Mug, 62 Daniel Webster Highway, Center Harbor, and of the Broken Spoke Saloon, 1072 Watson Road, Laconia, to extend the service of alcoholic beverages, but denied that of the Naswa which is located at 1086 Weirs Boulevard, Laconia.

The denial was news to Jim Lowell, the Naswa’s general manager.

"We’re meeting with the Liquor Commission licenser tomorrow and will know more then," about the reasons for the commission’s action, he said.

The commission summary contains only a description of the applicant’s proposal, a recommendation whether the plan should be approved or denied from the commission’s Enforcement Bureau staff, and the commission’s decision.

Enforcement Bureau officials were not immediately available to comment on why a denial was recommended, but Section 404.05 of the commission rules, which was cited in the application, may offer a possible answer.

The NHSLC’s "Authorization for other areas licensing criteria" says that service is extended to "rooms on the contiguous premises..." whereas the Naswa’s application, according to the summary, says its tent would be located in the parking lot on the east side of Weirs Boulevard, across from the main inn.

"We’re cautiously optimistic" that there will be a "successful resolution" between the Naswa and the NHSLC, said Lowell, adding "we have a couple angles going" that might address the commission’s objections.

Lowell said the Naswa had proposed having a 50-foot by 80-foot tent that would have occupancy for 254 guests.

The Naswa asked for permission to operate the tent from June 8-14; Bike Week takes place from June 7-15.

The approval the commission granted to The Mug extends to an outside garden area in front of the restaurant with an accommodation for 40 guests that can be in operation from June 11-15, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.

The approval for the Broken Spoke extends to the upstairs mezzanine, the summary said. No other operational details were given except that "The Licensee understands that this area has to be properly staffed to monitor the service and consumption of beverages."

Attorney John Deachman, who represents the Broken Spoke and the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound — which has also asked the NHSLC for an extension of its liquor license — said he and his clients were pleased that the Broken Spoke’s request was approved.

He was concerned, however, that the Lobster Pound’s application has not been acted upon, even though the commission has had it "for months." The commission has stated that it was reviewing the applications on a case-by-case basis, said Deachman, so maybe it was possible that the Lobster Pound simply hadn’t "come up in the rotation yet."

In addition to the Naswa, Broken Spoke and the Lobster Pound, the Laconia Motorcycle Technical Review Committee this year also approved "beer tents" for the Paradise Beach Club on Lakeside Avenue and the Weirs Beach Drive-In on Endicott Street North.

MTRC approval is needed before an applicant can seek an extension of service license from the NHSLC.

While the extension-of-service applications are wending their way through the State Liquor Commission and beyond that time, both the Lobster Pound and Broken Spoke, Deachman said, will be focusing on opposing proposed changes in how the commission processes such applications in the future.

Of most interest to his clients is a recommendation by the NHSLC to not grant extension-of-service licenses for areas larger than three times the licensed seating of the establishment seeking the special permit.

There are 78 licensed seats at the Lobster Pound and 145 at the Broken Spoke. Deachman said he was unaware of what his clients were proposing in terms of occupancy for Bike Week 2003.

Last year, both had tents with occupancies of 1,000 guests, but double that occupancy in 2001.

The state Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules is expected to take up the proposed NHSLC changes when it meets on May 19.