Rumba Could Face Legal Recourse from Town

Southampton Town may take legal action against the popular Hampton Bays eatery Rumba, according to 27East, if occupancy levels continue to be a problem for town officials.

Councilman Jim Malone, a Hampton Bays resident, recently spoke before the Hampton Bays Civic Association, according to the report, telling the crowd: “My patience is a little bit thin—I don’t want to take anybody’s livelihood away, but people really need to work harder to comply."

Code enforcement is reportedly continuing to keep check on the restaurant, which had been in July. Though owner David Hersh told Patch last month that all he's trying to do is run a clean place that people can enjoy.

"We try to be as responsible as we can," he said. "I run a good business. We don't serve underage kids and I have hundreds of e-mails from people in Hampton Bays who say they love Rumba."

According to 27East, Hersh is working on upgrading the septic system at the restaurant, which overlooks the Shinnecock Bay, during the upcoming offseason.

This summer's troubles where after 5 p.m. due to excessive parking on the road during nighttime hours.

This year, the restaurant has even found itself in the , with Democratic primary candidate Jennifer Maertz calling her opponent, Southampton Town Councilwoman Bridget Fleming, anti-business for favoring legal action against the restaurant.

Hersh has shot back at town hall, saying the town has been unwilling to work with him to find an equitable solution.

According to the 27East report, Town Attorney Tiffany Scarlato would likely seek town board approval before taking any action against Rumba.

Click here to read the article on 27East.