Drinking into the early hours of the morning may be a thing of the past in Alton.

The city council’s Committee on the Whole voted 5-2 Monday to end allowing liquor sales until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends. The committee is made up of all the aldermen to discuss issues before meeting as the full council.

“I feel lucky that a town as small as Alton has those businesses,” said Martha Pfister, the alderwoman who sponsored the change. “My hope is creating a more welcoming environment that will, in the long run, in the big picture, be beneficial for everyone.”

The city council , which is scheduled to meet Wednesday night, will have the final say and is expected to ban the late night licenses, which 13 businesses currently utilize, according to the city. Sales would end at

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