The licensee of Broadmeadow’s Premier Hotel has been punished for breach of extended licensing conditions on the first weekend of the venue’s extended trading.
In the first half of 2019, three pubs in the Hunter region applied to Liquor & Gaming for extended operating hours. Authority was granted for late trade Friday and Saturday night, with the Premier changing from midnight to 2am close.
Conditions were attached, including the requirement for a licensed security guard to be onsite both nights from 10pm until half an hour after the hotel closed, to mitigate behaviour both on the premises and outside.
The late trading came into effect for 10 August, and licensee Shane John O’Sullivan worked the day shift.
The condition around retaining security was not communicated to the evening manager, who let the security guard go early as it was a quiet night. Evidence presented in court showed the guard had clocked on at 5pm, but clocked off again at 9pm.
Court documents detailed that police attended the venue, finding only three patrons, the manager and one staff member.
The following day, O’Sullivan was presented with a Notice of failing to comply with the licence conditions.
The case was heard before Newcastle Local Court last week, where it was offered that the breach was a mistake by the manager on duty, who was unaware of the new condition. Prosecutor Craig Staniland posed that it was O’Sullivan’s duty as licensee to ensure his staff were informed.
Magistrate Robert Stone stressed the importance of licence conditions, but considered O’Sullivan’s good record in the role, and lack of history in licensing issues since 1996.
“This was a lack of communication between you and duty manager.”
O’Sullivan received a Conditional Release Order (CRO), putting him on a good behaviour bond for 12 months.
