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Liquor Licences Suspended at Four Outlets

Tuesday 27 January 2009, 2:43PM

By New Plymouth District Council

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NEW PLYMOUTH

Four outlets around New Plymouth District have had their liquor licences suspended after selling alcohol to minors during a controlled purchase operation in November.

The Bell Block Four Square, Waitara New World, Tree House Sports Bar & Café and the Salty Dog Café & Bar all sold alcohol to two 16-year-old volunteers who took part in the operation under police supervision.

Thirty-six liquor-licensed premises throughout the district were visited during the operation, with 32 outlets refusing to sell alcohol to the volunteers.

Today (Tuesday) the Liquor Licensing Authority issued its decisions on the four premises that sold alcohol to the minors:

The off-licence held by Punjab (NZ) Associates Limited operating the Bell Block Four Square will be suspended for seven days and the manager’s certificate held by Gurinder Singh Chahal suspended for 28 days.
The off-licence held by J C Williams Limited operating Waitara New World will be suspended for three days and the manager’s certificate held by Wendy Williams suspended for 21 days.
The on-licence held by Boiser Fare Limited operating the Tree House Sports Bar & Café will be suspended for 24 hours and the manager’s certificate held by Drew Thornton suspended for 21 days.
The on-licence held by the Salty Dog Café & Bar in Moturoa will be suspended for 24 hours.
These penalties follow the guidelines set by the authority for grocery stores, supermarkets and taverns.

Team Leader Environmental Health for the New Plymouth District Licensing Agency Murray Clearwater says: “These decisions send a clear message to operators of licensed premises that there are serious consequences if liquor is sold to minors.

“All premises should follow their in-house policies that if a purchaser appears to be under 25 years of age, the server must insist on seeing an approved form of ID.

“The young people used in these operations looked their age and there was really no excuse for making a sale without insisting on and thoroughly checking identification.”

New Plymouth Police Senior Sergeant Selwyn Wansbrough says controlled purchase operations are an effective means of monitoring licensed premises’ compliance with their responsibilities under the Sale of Liquor Act.

“There is no reason for licensed premises to be supplying alcohol to minors,” says the Senior Sergeant.

“The rules are clear and if they want to continue in the business of selling alcohol, they must ensure that they have robust systems and processes in place to prevent sales to minors.”