A Boston restaurant has been accused of breaching its licence after hosting a late-night private party involving New England Patriots players. Police responded to a noise complaint at Estella, a Caribbean-American fusion restaurant on Temple Place, shortly after the team’s AFC Championship win over the Denver Broncos.
Officers arrived around 2:20 a.m. on 27 January to find a private gathering in the basement. Security briefly blocked access, and police reported seeing several large hookahs, money scattered on the floor, and partially clothed women. The smell of marijuana was also noted. A licence inspection notice was issued for after-hours alcohol sales, unauthorised entertainment, and allowing indoor smoking.
At a licensing hearing on Friday, owner Helder George Brandao admitted that Patriots players attended and that the party continued past the restaurant’s 2 a.m. closing time. He claimed that some players entered through a back door and that it was difficult to manage due to “entitled people”. “It’s on us to do our duty to get them out, but it was more of a bad situation that we put ourselves in by even accepting them in,” he told local media.
Boston Licensing Board officials stressed that hosting celebrities does not exempt the establishment from rules. Board member Kathleen Joyce said: “There are no exceptions in our rules for celebrities like Chris Brown or the Patriots.” Brandao had previously faced a similar incident involving singer Chris Brown. The board will decide on potential penalties, which could include suspending or altering the restaurant’s licence, at a meeting on Thursday.
