Three Day Closure for Havelock North Bar

A Havelock North bar has been ordered to close for three days after failing to meet several conditions of its liquor licence.

Turks Bar will be closed on Thursday 23, Friday 24 and Monday 27 September 2010, and the bar’s management have agreed to undertake further staff training on host responsibility.

Police and Hastings District Licensing Agency applied to the Liquor Licensing Authority following concerns of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board that adequate food was not available at Turks Bar, and was not promoted.

Authorities visited the premises on a number of occasions between 2007 and February 2010, and found the food available did not meet the guidelines spelt out in the bar’s liquor licence. In some cases the duty manager’s name was not displayed, and in May 2010 a grossly intoxicated man was found in Turks Bar’s licensed area of the outside footpath.

Police tried to speak to the man, who was holding a glass of beer and had to hold onto the bar leaner to stop himself from falling over, but the man appeared to fall asleep while being spoken to.

John O'Shaughnessy, Hastings District Council’s Group Manager: Planning and Regulatory Services, said the community expected licensed premises to be held to high levels of accountability.

“Liquor licence holders have ongoing responsibilities for every patron and on every day the establishment is open. Thankfully the majority of licensed premises do maintain a high level of compliance, but we will continue our checks and controlled purchase operations to ensure they stay that way.”