Bartenders at Ogunquit, Maine's gay bar Mainestreet have been ordered to wear shirts by town officials, who are citing "health hazards" as the reason, though the real reason appears to be image, Seacoast online reports:

"Ogunquit Town Manager Tom Fortier attributed the town's recent requests to a barrage of complaints spearheaded by town resident Harriet Yaffe.

'I was appalled that the town manager allowed this to happen,' said Yaffe. 'It was brought to his attention a while ago and he didn't do anything about it.' … 'I have no problem with eating outside or having a nice outside bar,' said Yaffe, adding that she enjoys dining out in the sun. She said she thought the bottles should be removed from the patio and that bartenders should wear shirts so that children passing by don't have to be subjected to the type of image it portrays.

'I love Ogunquit and I love the gay men. I have no problems with anyone. I just don't want a tacky town,' Yaffe said.

'You just don't do this,' she added. 'It's going to become another P-town.'

Lempicki said selectmen were upset about the Mainestreet's situation as well.

Selectman Graham Simonds said he is concerned with the open use of alcohol outside the bar, but hadn't heard about the shirtless bartenders.

'I really don't like outside service of that type,' he said. 'I don't think it adds anything to the town.'

Simonds said before Ogunquit became its own town 30 years ago, alcohol had been banned altogether.

'I just think this is pushing the envelope when they're ordering it outside and serving it outside,'" he said. 'What's next?'"

(top image source, bar image via Gay Ogunquit)