DeMello v. Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission

The plaintiff was the holder of a general license for the sale of alcoholic beverages on premises in New Bedford. In June, 1987, the New Bedford licensing board held a hearing and suspended the plaintiff’s license until certain on-site changes had been made and approved and until a transfer of the license to a new owner (as the plaintiff intended) had been completed. The plaintiff closed the premises, took out a building permit to make improvements, entered into an agreement to sell the business, and gave a key to the premises to the prospective new owner. The New Bed-ford board revoked the…