Lancaster County Brewery Closed Over New S.C. Law
- SCCLR Newsletter
- Mar 19
- 3 min read
By: Rachel Richardson
LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. (WBTV) - A new South Carolina law meant to help businesses save money is now forcing some to close.
The state’s new Tort Reform and Liquor Liability law promises to lower insurance costs for businesses that serve alcohol, but they must meet certain requirements and that can present challenges.
WBTV has reported how businesses in York and Lancaster counties have been feeling the new law’s impacts. WBTV spoke with Benford Brewing, which recently closed, and is not only worried about what this will mean for small businesses, but also what it will mean for gathering places in the community.
Bryan O’Neal started Benford Brewing in 2012 to make a living on his farm. He said he doesn’t have traditional customers, but everyone who comes there is a friend.
“Brewing beer was just a hobby that I really enjoy doing,” O’Neal said.
This year, the new South Carolina law was set to lower insurance prices for businesses by creating new safety requirements. The state’s Tort Reform and Liquor Liability law requires anyone serving alcohol on the premises after 5 p.m. to get general liability insurance with an annual claims limit of $1 million. It also requires licenses for special events where alcohol will be served.
“If I have to close at 5, if I can’t do events if I cannot self-distribute my beer, there’s no reason to be in business,” O’Neal said.
He said he’s seen insurance prices for businesses increase in some cases more than 20 times what they were in 2017. He said policies aren’t affordable. On Wednesday, he closed his business.
O’Neal posted about the closing on social media. It was shared hundreds of times, even catching the eye of other state and county representatives who came Thursday to hear his story.
“So, I called him up and I said, ‘hey what’s going on?’ And sadly, I wasn’t surprised because like I said it’s been happening all over the state,” Rep. Jordan Pace of Berkeley County said.
Rep. Pace said he’s seen how this law has impacted small businesses and believes the fix can be simple with the right support.
“Ultimately, the joint several liability issue has to get fixed, and that is a broader tort reform problem not just with bars and restaurants, but with trucking industries, anything that moves on the road is susceptible to this,” Pace said.
Russell Brazell is a council member in Kershaw County. As a small business owner himself, he’s worried about what the state’s economy will look like if these businesses are forced to close.
“How we expected to pay the taxes, the insurance, when it, when the insurance rises twentyfold you can’t operate a business,” Brazell said.
O’Neal said his last insurance policy expired in September, and since then no insurance company has been willing to give him a quote.
“The law has to change. You know if, I don’t know if a repeal is the right word or not, but they need to get some level heads, get together really quickly, and make it affordable for insurance companies to insure us,” O’Neal said.
Bryan said he’s still operating the sawmill, will continue making epoxy tables and selling beef on the farm. He said he hopes to be able to reopen his brewery eventually. Watch the full video below:
