A BC bar that allowed people to sing karaoke and served alcohol past midnight has been fined $10,000 and shuttered for three weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Feb. 21 BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch decision, the Sunset Bar and Grill didn’t have a licence for karaoke and served patrons 40 minutes after its liquor licence had expired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Prince Rupert bar argued it had been trying for more than a year to get a new licence and if the liquor board would grant it a licence for karaoke and let it stay open an hour or so later then it wouldn’t have broken any rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bar didn’t get far with its defence as the liquor board pointed out the “seriousness of the contravention” and the “threat to the public safety and the well-being of the community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The liquor board doesn’t say why karaoke is a threat to public safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decision says in February 2024, two BC liquor inspectors conducted a “covert public safety inspection.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The liquor inspectors found about 20 people in the bar, 10 were on the dance floor and some were singing karaoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“To maintain their covert status the inspectors did not identify themselves at that time,” the decision reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DJ encouraged one of the liquor inspectors to do karaoke, although the decision doesn’t mention whether the liquor inspector took up the offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The liquor inspectors saw bar staff serve alcohol after midnight, even though its licence didn’t allow for that as of 12 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decision says the bar has a food primary licence and is only allowed “non-participation entertainment” such as a band or a comedian, and if it wants “patron-participation entertainment” such as karaoke, it needs to get a special licence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a separate occasion several months earlier, an RCMP officer had entered the bar at 11:30 p.m. and spoke to the manager who said he would stop serving drinks at 12:20 a.m. and close up by 1 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, when the officer returned 40 minutes later he found people still being served and the DJ playing music. There were about 20 people in the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He returned just after 1 a.m. and the bar was still hopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The officer exited the establishment at 1:45 a.m., noting patrons continued to come and go from the establishment and the music was still playing,” the decision reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the RCMP officer’s visit, the liquor board requested documents from the bar’s owner, Kaien Island Holdings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n