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Hamptons residents are once again pushing back against the arrival of elite social clubs in the luxury beach destination.
This time, some local residents and officials are directing their ire against the owner of the exclusive Manhattan social club Zero Bond, according to a report from Wall Street Journal published Friday. The elite Manhattan club is known to be frequented by a variety of public figures, including Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, and even New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
When 49-year-old Scott Sartiano tried to bring his business to The Hedges Inn, an 1873 historic bed and breakfast in East Hampton Village, he was met with a storm of backlash from the town's neighbors and local officials, The Journal reported. His new business was supposed to be an extension of Zero Bond but is now positioned and operating as a restaurant after pushback about converting the site to a late-night spot.
Sartiano has said there's a "vendetta" against him, a claim the mayor denied, according to The Journal report.
Sartiano and the East Hampton Mayor's office did not respond to a request from Business Insider.
"Look, no one's invested in this more than me. I live next door, right?" Sartiano said, according to the report. "If it's not a value add, I'll be the most screwed."
Earlier this year, village officials proposed new legislation that would prohibit any "eating and drinking establishment" in the historical village from staying open between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to a report from the local publication, The East Hampton Star. The Hedges Inn was already required to stop serving at 10 p.m. due to a previous agreement from 1981.
A later report from The East Hampton Star said the proposal was well received, with over 30 letters of endorsement between April and May. Residents expressed concern about how nightlife could disrupt the quiet residential historic district.
A local law banning dining at "late-night restaurant clubs" between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. in the historic district was then passed by late June, the local news report said.
That didn't prevent Sartiano from moving on his plans to open an establishment — or the locals from resisting it. Prior to the opening of the restaurant, the mayor sent a letter with a number to call if there were any disturbances from the village's historic inns, according to The Journal's report. The mayor's office told The Journal the letter was sent as clarification of the closing time due to confusion.
Once the restaurant opened, it became the focal point of complaints. In the middle of one of the opening nights, a building inspector arrived due to a potential fire hazard from a $35,000 floral installation, the report said. Officers have also consistently made appearances during the restaurant's dinner hours because of noise complaints, according to The Journal's report.
Locals have also taken an active stance on the business, with the availability of bumper stickers that say "Zero Chance, Neighbors United Against Nightclubs."
Despite the rough beginning, Sartiano's restaurant, which operates three nights a week, appears to be doing just fine. In its first month of operating, its already attracted high-profile figures like Meghan Markle.
