Council draws draft 1st map of downtown social district

LACONIA — City councilors are working toward establishing a social district downtown ahead of the busy tourism season, and could be the first in New Hampshire to do so.  

According to the New Hampshire Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement & Licensing, there aren’t any approved and established social districts throughout the state to date. Laconia’s, likely centered around the busiest commercial section of downtown, could be the first.

House Bill 467, passed in 2025 and co-sponsored by Mayor Mike Bordes who is also a Republican representative of Belknap County to the Statehouse, was enabling legislation allowing communities to put the creation of social districts on their respective ballots. The law went into effect on Sept. 5.  

During the November 2025 election, two of New Hampshire’s cities voted to allow the establishment of social districts: Laconia and Concord. In Laconia, 56% of voters approved the measure, and in Concord, 52% of voters did so. According to the law, just a simple majority is required to allow the creation of social districts. Similar measures were rejected in Portsmouth, Keene and Nashua.

Bordes has on several occasions expressed his optimism that social districts could attract visitors and business to the city, particularly if Laconia manages to be the first city to successfully establish one.

During a city council goal-setting meeting on March 18, Ward 6 Councilor Mike Conant expressed his support for the timely establishment of a social district.

“We have at our advantage the ability to create social districts, and that goes to the development of downtown, which has been mentioned. And it also goes where I think we could take advantage of what [Ward 4] Councilor [Mark] Haynes said, and advertise that Laconia is creating these social districts and attract folks that typically wouldn’t come here,” Conant said. “I think we need to take advantage of what’s in front of us, and get that solved, and start with downtown, and get it right. Once we have it right, we can advertise the heck out of it, and attract some new people to our city.”

Social districts are, in essence, areas of a community where public consumption of alcohol is tolerated. Before allowing consumption of alcohol in a social district, a city or town has to submit to the liquor commission a detailed map of the defined area, with boundaries clearly marked. At their meeting on Jan. 26, councilors referred the creation of its first social district to its Public Safety Subcommittee, which met March 24. 

“The goal is going to be to finalize the map, have a draft plan of the management and maintenance of the social district to be able to have in front of you guys as early as the two April meetings, to vote to get something finalized,” City Manager Kirk Beattie told councilors during their meeting on March 23.  

At the meeting on March 9, Ward 5 Councilor Steven Bogert asked if social districts would be on track for creation ahead of summer, and Beattie said the item is moving forward in a timely fashion. 

“We’ll lose a lot of revenue if it's not ready,” Bordes said. 

According to the law, licensees can sell alcoholic beverages in their licensed premises, and can only do so from containers which clearly identify from where the beverage was purchased, including a logo or mark unique to the social district, is not made of glass, does not exceed 16 fluid ounces, and must include the phrase “Drink Responsibly — Be 21,” in no less than 12-point font.

Licensees can't let people in with beverages they don't sell, and only drinks purchased from a licensee located in or contiguous to the social district can be possessed and consumed. Alcoholic beverages can only be possessed and consumed during the days and hours set by the local government. 

According to the minutes of the subcommittee meeting, councilors agreed to consider adding Veterans Square, to include Local Eatery, Burrito Me and The CAKE Theatre. The boundaries should also be extended further south on Main Street to include The Flip Side restaurant. Members of the subcommittee discussed allowing the district to operate between noon and 8 p.m. 

A proposed map of the downtown social district indicates it could extend on Main Street from the The Flip Side north, to the intersection of Main and Church streets. It would also include the entirety of Canal Street, where block parties and other events are regularly held during the summer, Hanover Street, and much of Pleasant Street toward its intersection with Beacon Street West. The parking lots between Main and Pleasant are also included, according to the map.  

A public hearing on the matter would be held to solicit community input before an eventual vote to create the city’s first social district.