It shall be unlawful to sell, to offer for sale, or deliver at retail, or give away in or upon any licensed premises any alcoholic liquor except during the following hours:
(A) Permitted Hours. Between the hours of 6:00 a.m. of one day and 2:00 a.m. of the succeeding day.
(B) New Year’s Day. Notwithstanding any other provisions herein, persons, firms, and corporations licensed to sell malt or alcoholic liquor may also serve and sell malt and alcoholic liquor at the licensed premises between the hours of 2:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day and 6:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day; provided, however, that entry to the licensed premises, shall be denied to all persons at 2:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day, and no person shall be permitted to enter or reenter the premises after said time until the licensed premises thereafter opens for normal permitted hours (i.e. 6:00 a.m.) as provided above. All persons or patrons within the licensed premises at said 2:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day shall be permitted to remain and be permitted to purchase and to consume malt and alcoholic liquor, although no person shall be permitted reentry upon exiting or leaving the licensed establishment until the licensed premises thereafter opens for normal permitted hours as provided above.
(C) General Provisions.
(1) Businesses primarily offering goods and services other than sales of alcoholic liquor, such as restaurants, clubs, hotels, motels, gas stations, and grocery stores, may remain open at all hours otherwise permitted by law, but no alcoholic liquors shall be sold or delivered except during the hours provided above. Furthermore, any lounge area or separate area for sale or service of alcohol shall be closed. Businesses primarily offering sales of alcoholic liquor shall remain open only during the hours provided above.
(2) Each licensee shall require and have all customers off and out of said premises within twenty (20) minutes after the closing times provided herein, which twenty (20) minutes shall be considered a grace period to all time for closing and for all customers to leave the premises, but all sales or deliveries shall cease at the closing hours herein specified.
(3) Whenever time is referred to in this Article, it shall be understood and is hereby enacted that the same shall be consistent with the official time of the City of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, whether the same shall be central standard time or central daylight savings time.
(4) No individual other than a licensee or paid employee who is actually on duty for cleaning or maintenance purposes shall remain in licensed premises after the closing time and grace time specified herein above.
(Prior Code, Art. 6, § 6.14)