Lower North Island hotel runs dry - again

It was last rounds on Monday for a popular Lower North Island watering hole as it hit another dry run — its second in less than three months.

The Castlepoint Hotel has been told by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (the Authority) to immediately stop serving alcohol after it breached the conditions of an earlier order.

In November, the Masterton District Council licensing committee decided not to renew the hotel's liquor licence, citing a raft of issues. The hotel was granted a reprieve before Christmas which allowed alcohol to be sold pending the outcome of an appeal.

The Authority issued its decision on Monday, after a hearing last week.

It found a drunk patron was allowed to stay on the premises on New Year’s eve after one of the directors of the licensee, Jason Le Grove, allowed him back in after being kicked out for being intoxicated.

A second patron was found to have been served alcohol while drunk that evening.

The licensee, Fireballs Imports Ltd, had breached conditions including allowing intoxicated customers to remain on its premises and permitting customers to become intoxicated.

“We have been left with insufficient confidence that the current management of Fireballs, and in this respect we refer particularly to Mr Le Grove as one of the directors of the licensee company and Mr Carmichael as a duty manager, either understands or is prepared to conduct itself in a way that enables this licensed establishment to operate in a safe and responsible manner as required,” the decision said.

“We accordingly lift the stay which means that Fireballs no longer is licensed to sell or supply alcohol or allow it to be consumed on the hotel premises pending the hearing of the appeal. This decision has immediate effect.”

Another director of the licensee, Jason Osborne, said his thoughts were with the community. He said while the on and off licenses were affected, the hotel remained open for food and accommodation.

“We are extremely disappointed by the Authority’s decision.

“Our immediate thoughts are with the wider Castlepoint community and with our dedicated staff, many of whom are directly and personally affected by this decision. We recognise the important role this establishment has played within the local area.”

He thanked people who had reached out with messages of support.

“We remain committed to acting responsibly and transparently as we consider the next steps.”

Osborne said all available options were being considered, including an appeal, and did not want to comment further.

The evidence related to incidents at the hotel on New Year’s eve last year, when a patron was thrown out of the hotel by its security officer, Viliame Cavubati.

“A short time later, [the patron] stated that he hopped over the back fence and went in with a crowd under а gazebo where he could not be seen,” the decision said.

There was disputed evidence whether that patron was given permission to stay in the bar by Le Grove.

Cavubati said Le Grove had allowed him to return after being removed, but this was denied by Le Grove.

The Authority agreed with Cavubati.

“We are in no doubt that Mr Le Grove did over-ride Mr Cavubati that night and allowed him, and possibly another man, back onto the hotel premises after they had been kicked out,” the decision said.

“Not only did Mr Le Grove over-ride an operational decision by the security guard on duty that night, he also thereby permitted an intoxicated person to remain on the licensed premises.”

The hotel was forced to close its bar after losing its on and off licence in November, but was granted a stay of that decision in December pending the outcome of an appeal.

An appeal on the substantive decision is scheduled for February 25.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.