Loui’s Hotel is considering lodging a complaint for discriminatory behaviour by police, after its ongoing compliance woes forced it closed for a weekend event.
The closure came as a result of an application NSW Police submitted that the Lewisham Hotel, known as Loui’s, could through its operations “expose the public to significant threats and risks to their health and safety”.
The police application to shut down the pub cited breaches relating to its licensing requirements around CCTV coverage and security for an event promoted as a ‘family night’ last October.
The authorities pointed to a “pattern of noncompliance” based on the additional licence conditions imposed on the venue in September.
Liquor & Gaming ordered that from the 23rd of that month last year the Hotel had to comply with multiple new licensing conditions.
The business had to engage an appropriate person for a comprehensive plan of management and provide a copy to the Police Area Commander within 14 days, and keep a current copy on the premises for inspection by request of an authorised person.
It was also required the pub maintain CCTV at all entry and exit points, the adjacent footpath, and all publicly accessible areas (bar the toilets) – recording continuously from opening time until one hour after the premise is required to close, in digital format and at a minimum of 15 frames per second. All CCTV recordings must be kept for at least 30 days, and there must always be at least one person on the premises able to access and fully operate the system.
From 8pm uniformed security officer(s) must be on patrol at a minimum of 1:100 patrons, and must continue until the last patron has left the premises. When trading beyond midnight, two licensed uniformed security officers must be deployed from 10:30pm, to continually patrol the vicinity of the premise.
The most recent prior restriction on the Hotel’s licence was in July 2012.
The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) responded to the police application and imposed a 14-hour closure order on the Lewisham Hotel for Saturday, 21 January, which forced management to cancel a Pacific Island themed music event.
A spokesperson for Liquor and Gaming explained that previous breaches of licence conditions “caused concerns for public health and safety” and that the venue lacked the appropriate measures to prevent intoxication and disorderly behaviour.
The closure follows two instances in the past month of its hours being restricted from 3am to midnight, under orders imposed by iLGA.
Loui’s challenged the short-term closure order, stating that it had been meeting its licensing conditions and done the upgrades to its CCTV system.
Co-licensee Josephine Smith says they have tried to address all the issues raised and get along with police, with whom she is in discussions.
The pub is estimated to have lost around $20k in revenue due to the closure.
Management suggest the police attention amounts to “vexatious, bullying, and harassing behaviour”, but ILGA ruled there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the claim.
Lawyer Stewart Levitt, acting for the Hotel, has said they are considering a complaint with the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, in the belief that the premise is being targeted because it is a social gathering place for communities including the Indigenous.
The pub has a long history as a propagator of live music, billing a band and musicians every Saturday and Sunday, following Karaoke Fridays, comedy on Thursdays and poetry reading on Wednesdays.
