Metro-North is losing its holiday spirit.
The commuter line has suspended the sale of beer and alcohol on Grand Central Terminal platforms after irregularities were found during an audit of bar carts and counters.
“All 18 commissary carts and two commissary counters at Grand Central Terminal have been taken out of service as of Dec. 7 because of an ongoing investigation initiated by Metro-North. They will remain closed while the investigation continues,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Aaron Donovan.
Metro-North conducted a spot audit last month after receiving a complaint from a vendor and found irregularities that prompted a full-scale audit and investigation of all bar carts and counters. Sales at the bar carts are cash only.
The MTA inspector general was brought in at the beginning of the investigation and will continue to be involved in the probe, which is ongoing.
So far, three Metro-North employees have been removed from service. Alcohol sales have been a headache for Metro-North because of possible liability issues.
In 2014, Metro-North banned alcohol sales in its rail cars. In September, Connecticut said it would buy 60 new rail cars and many of them will be outfitted as bar cars, but only on the New Haven line.
Last weekend, Metro-North banned alcohol sales during the booze-drenched SantaCon pub crawl, where drunken Santas swarm the streets to celebrate the holidays. Service was expected to resume Monday.
“To maintain orderly travel and safe station and terminal operations during this weekend’s SantaCon event, alcohol will not be permitted on MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA Metro-North Railroad trains and in stations from noon on Saturday through noon on Sunday,’’ a news release said.
Commuters at Grand Central Tuesday wanted to cry in their beer after hearing the bar carts would be shuttered.
“I feel like the public should know the exact details of the investigation to form an opinion. People should have the option, ‘Hey, I want to get a drink on my way home from work’ or even ‘I need a drink on my way to work.’ People will end up sneaking their own drinks on the train and that will be hard to control. It’s easier to enforce rules with a bar,” said Shane Fowler, 22, who rides the train to his job at a Manhattan H&M clothing store from his home in Waterbury, Conn.
Mark Moorhead, a commuter from Westchester County, said he feels like Metro-North is penalizing train-riders because it can’t manage its bar employees.
“We as paying commuters should not be punished. It’s 2016 and someone may want a scotch after work. We aren’t living in the Prohibition era. Metro North wants to make their passengers lives even worse. I need a drink to even take the train,” he said.
Others said Metro-North should continue the Christmas cheer during the holiday season.
“I disagree with Metro-North’s dry bar, especially during the holiday season. We are suppose to be merry and not sad,”said Shaminy Selva, 28, of White Plains.