Finally: A neighborhood welcomes late-night Domino's delivery with open arms

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday approved a request from Domino's to extend the delivery hours of its Staniford Street outlet from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. because of near-unanimous support from West End resident groups and nearby businesses - a dramatic difference from the reception Domino's has gotten in certain other neighborhoods.

Two hotels and Mass. Eye and Ear both supported the Domino's request, saying their customers and workers both require pizza late at night. Mass. General acknowledged its overnight workers often partake of Domino's fare, but refuses to formally support licensing requests, William Mohan, a Domino's rep, told the board.

Mohan said the later hours would ease pressures on existing late-night Domino's in other parts of the city, which he said now struggle to keep up the demand from the small neighborhood.

The main opposition at a board hearing on Wednesday came from the mayor's office, which wanted the board to delay action until after Domino's could meet with civic groups in neighboring Beacon Hill. A mayor's liaison said her office is concerned that later pizza delivery would only encourage Suffolk students living on Beacon Hill to party hardier later into the night.

She added the city is also concerned about driver safety, citing a recent attack on a late-night pizza delivery guy. When Mohan said he was unaware of any such incidents, she acknowledged it had happened in Dorchester.