SHIRLEY -- A change in state law that allows restaurants to start serving alcohol two hours earlier on Sunday mornings should provide a nice boost in brunch business, according to local restaurant owners and managers.

"I think being able to offer alcoholic beverages gives people a little more incentive to come down," said Bryan Sawyer, general manager of the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley. "Any additional business we can do on Sunday mornings is great."

The Restaurant Rejuvenation Act went into effect July 1 and gives restaurants across Massachusetts the option of serving alcohol on Sundays as early as 10 a.m. State law previously required restaurants to wait until noon on Sundays.

"I think it was one of those laws on the books from long ago that needed to be updated," said State Rep. Jennifer Benson, D-Lunenburg, who co-signed the new law. "I think it put our restaurants at a disadvantage from other places."

Several local restaurant owners who offer Sunday morning brunch recently applauded state officials for making the change.

Gayle Padula, owner of the Harley House Inn on Massachusetts Avenue in Lunenburg, said offering alcoholic beverages Sunday morning should help her do a little more business each week.

Padula said the Harley House is usually packed for brunch each Sunday.

"We do a great brunch," she said. "I think people will really enjoy being able to have a Bloody Mary or mimosa with their breakfast."

Padula said she

offers outside dining in the spring and summer so people will be able to enjoy their cocktails in the garden.

Phantom Gourmet television and radio host Dave Andelman was the driving force behind the law change. He first proposed the idea on his radio show.

"This industry has been hit by a perfect storm of conditions," Andelman said during a recent interview with the Sentinel & Enterprise. "You have a recession, the meals tax has been raised and at the same time they're facing higher energy costs, health care costs and food costs."

Andelman, who has an MBA and is an attorney, said if a restaurant can do an extra 100 meals of service each week at $20 a meal, that would add up to $100,000 of extra business each year.

"This could give them two more prime hours of operation during the week," he said. "Sunday brunch can be like a Friday or Saturday night for these businesses. It's a time when people are free, they're not tired from work and brunches are a really affordable experience. Do we really want to prevent people from having a Blood Mary from 10 to noon?"

The Bull Run Restaurant recently began offering Sunday brunch featuring all locally grown ingredients, according to bar manager Arthur Guercio.

Padula said she does not foresee people overindulging on alcohol during the morning.

"I don't see any issue whatsoever with someone having a mimosa on a Sunday morning," she said.

The new law goes into effect immediately, but Andelman said restaurants should check with their local town governments to see if they need to have their liquor license formally changed.

Lunenburg Town Manager Kerry Speidel said the town's Board of Selectmen, which is the licensing authority, needs to vote to accept the new law. License holders interested in taking advantage will then have to go before selectmen for approval.

"This is something the board will likely take up during its first meeting in August," Speidel said.

Other restaurants in the region that serve alcohol and offer a Sunday morning brunch include Cornerstones in Leominster and the Old Mill Restaurant in Westminster.