About 60 boisterous Williamsport taverns, and 20 disgruntled club owners hailed and heralded the legalization of longer hours for an additional two hours until 2 a.m. Sundays.

The new law permitting the two-hour extension, passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. David Lawrence, is expected to hurt private clubs throughout the state, which because of their preferred position, had experienced high volume business Saturday nights.

Previously, many patrons would leave bars early and head to the clubs for two additional hours where drinking was available. It is expected that the one difference now will not be enough inducement to draw the bar patrons away before midnight.

The law was supported by tavern owners bordering states, which had more liberal liquor laws such as New York and New Jersey. The practice of spending Saturday nights in another state was especially prevalent in the Philadelphia area.

The recent legislation also liberalized the sales of liquor on Sundays in hotels in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with another source of revenue particularly from conventions, often experienced in both cities.

The senate passed the 2 a.m. closing bill, 32-16 and the house passed it 118-87.

Complied by Lou Hunsinger Jr.