By Patrick Cronin

Hampton Union, May 15, 2007

[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]

HAMPTON — The third time wasn’t the charm for the new owner of Guido Murphy’s and Dylan’s at Hampton Beach.

Terry Daidone asked selectmen during Monday’s meeting to reconsider their decision to deny his trench request to open K Street in order to install a required sprinkler system in the popular nightclubs.

Selectmen voted 3-2 last week to deny his trench permit request, knowing that without the sprinklers, the club will not receive an occupancy permit from the Hampton Fire Department.

At that meeting, selectmen said they would not approve the trench permit because the street was just redone as part of the $12 million sewer infrastructure project.

They also said the previous owner had known since 2005 that he would have to install a sprinkler system in order to remain open and should have done so when the road was being worked on.

On Monday, board Chairman Ben Moore asked if selectmen wanted to reconsider their decision. The majority who voted against the permit last week, however, did not want to want to do so.

“I don’t know what I’m going to,” said Daidone after the meeting.

Daidone, of Florida, purchased the clubs April 23 for $2.2 million in cash from Dan Traficante.

Selectman Rick Griffin said he doesn’t understand why the majority of the board denied the permit, especially since the whole point of the sewer infrastructure project was to attract investors.

“I think we made a mistake and we are making it appear that it’s difficult to do business at Hampton Beach,” Griffin said. “We should be encouraging investors to come to town. I can’t see why progress should be held up. It’s a new owner and a fresh start.”