Fate of Hot Dog Hawker's License in Council's Hands

A hot dog vendor is expected to learn the fate of his city-issue hawker’s license Monday night after an arrest last month.

The arrest was unrelated to John Doyle’s work selling hot dog from a cart set up near the Bowl-O-Mat and at Dane Street Beach in the summers. 

Here's how Police Chief Mark Ray explained the circumstances of that led to the arrest:

Doyle allegedly assaulted an 87-year-old man outside the Italian Community Center at about 8 p.m. on June 1. Doyle has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a shod foot, plus threats to commit a crime.

Doyle had been issued a hawker’s and peddler’s license by the city to run his hot dog cart, which is his sole source of income, according to his attorney, Ronald Ranta of Beverly.

“He’s identified and addressed the core issues that brought about this problem, Ranta said, noting that Doyle has completed a detox program, a day addiction treatment program and attends Alcoholics Anonymous daily.

The license was issued by the City Council and was suspended after Doyle’s arrest. The council now needs to decide whether Doyle can have the license back or whether it should be suspended or revoked.

After hearing from Ray and Ranta earlier this month, councilors agreed they needed more time to decide how they want to handle Doyle’s license.

City Solicitor told the council that the decision is in its hands, and that courts have held that “any reasonable steps” taken by the council have been held up by courts in similar cases.