Gastown pizza place petitions to stay open as late as bars (VIDEO)

A Gastown pizzeria is petitioning the mayor of Vancouver in an attempt to be allowed to stay open as late as the bars in the area.

Hot Pie Pizza on Powell is no stranger to being in hot water with the city for serving up slices to hungry customers after 2 a.m.

Under current bylaws, restaurants on the Downtown Eastside must close at 2 a.m., while bars can keep going until 3 a.m.

To support the claim that an extra hour of pizza sales is a win-win for the business, the customers, and the City of Vancouver, Hot Pie has launched a video series called “Pizza Corner,” which draws its inspiration from the issue-driven soapboxing of a speakers’ corner.

First up, naturally, is the issue at hand: Letting Hot Pie stay open until 3 a.m.

“I think it would be a great opportunity for drunk people like ourselves to sober up with pizza,” offers one contributor to Pizza Corner.

Hot Pie Pizza has launched an online petition to go with the video, which posits: “Late night eats would support Gastown nightlife, from the people to the businesses.”

Police have said they prefer to have restaurants like Hot Pie close at 2 a.m. so they can better maintain safety in the area when the bars close at 3.

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