Notice of Meeting:
I hereby give notice that an ordinary meeting of the
District Licensing Committee will be held on:
Date: Tuesday
27 May 2025
Time: 1.30
pm
Venue: Dunningham
Suite, 4th floor, Dunedin Public Library, 230 Moray Place, Dunedin
Sandy Graham
District Licensing Committee
On-Licence Suspension Request – The Bog Irish
Bar
PUBLIC AGENDA
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Chairperson
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Colin Weatherall
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Members
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Karen Elliot
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Adrian Cheyne
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Senior Officer Kevin
Mechen, Secretary, District Licensing Committee
Governance Support Officer Lynne
Adamson
Lynne Adamson
Governance Support Officer
Telephone: 03 477 4000
Lynne.Adamson@dcc.govt.nz
www.dunedin.govt.nz
Note: Reports
and recommendations contained in this agenda are not to be considered as
Council policy until adopted.
ITEM TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
Reports
1 Report
for FENZ Application to Suspend On-licence for The Bog Irish Bar, 387 George
Street, Dunedin – From Secretary, District Licensing Committee 3
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District Licensing Committee
27 May 2025
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Part
A Reports
Report for FENZ Application to Suspend On-licence for The
Bog Irish Bar, 387 George Street, Dunedin – From Secretary, District
Licensing Committee
Department: Civic
APPLICATION DESCRIPTION
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Respondent’s
Name:
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Gurbani
Club Limited
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Site
Address
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387
George Street, Dunedin
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Trading
Name:
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The
Bog Irish Bar
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Style
of Licence
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On-licence
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Application
Number
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ON-14-2024
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Date
received by Council
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13
May 2025
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 This
is an application by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) for the suspension
of on-licence no. 069/ON/35/2024 for the premises situated at 387 George
Street, Dunedin, and known as “The Bog Irish Bar”. The
applicant is made pursuance to section 286 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol
Act 2012 (the “Act”).
2 After
receiving advice, the licensee may not be complying with their approved Fire
Evacuation Scheme, the Community Risk Manager of FENZ undertook an inspection
and found two of the three exits from the premises locked. A copy of the
report outlining the failures was sent to the licensee.
3 About
a week later, Police undertaking a monitoring visit of the premises found the
exits still locked.
4 FENZ
believe the licensee has failed to comply with the requirements to ensure the
escape of patrons in the event of a fire.
APPLICANT
5 The
applicant in this matter is Fire and Emergency New Zealand. They are
responsible for ensuring compliance with the Fire and Emergency New Zealand
(Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Regulations 2018.
6 One
of the requirements is that some premises are required to maintain an approved
evacuation scheme. In this matter, because of the occupancy of the
premises, they are required to have fire egress points that are
unimpeded.
7 The
Community Risk Manager, acting on information received, visited “The Bog
Irish Bar” on 29 April 2025 and found two of the three exit doors
inoperable because they were pad-bolted and locked. When he spoke to the
duty managers, they were unaware of the evacuation scheme for the premises.
8 An
email was sent to the Respondent detailing the visit and requirements of the
evacuation scheme and this was copied to the Police Alcohol Harm Prevention
Unit.
9 On
8 May 2025 FENZ were advised by Police that a monitoring visit on 2 May 2025
found the fire exits to be locked and/or blocked.
10 FENZ
believes the Respondent has failed to comply with the requirements relating to
the escape of people in the event of a fire and therefore lodged the
application for suspension.
RESPONDENT
11 The
Respondent, Gurbani Club Limited has two directors/shareholders, Jasleen Saluja
and Karandeep Singh. They have equal shares in the business.
12 The licence
for the premises, 069/ON/35/2024, was issued on 23 October 2024. They
have another premises in Dunedin.
section 286
13 Section 286
of the Act allows for the suspension of a licence for non-compliance with
public health or fire precaution requirements. Application for suspension
can be made by a Medical Officer of Health or any person appointed a FENZ
inspector under section 166 of the Fire and emergency New Zealand Act 2017.
14 The
licensing committee must give notice in writing calling the licensee to appear
before them to show why their licence should not be suspended.
15 If,
at the conclusion of the hearing, the Committee is satisfied that the licensee
has failed to comply with the relevant legislation relating to public health
and/or fire precaution requirements, it may order the licensee to do
all such things as may be necessary to meet those requirements within any
reasonable time it may specify, and, in the case of default, may suspend the
licence until those requirements have been met.
CONCLUSION
16 An
application for the suspension of the licence has been made by FENZ after they
identified serious safety concerns at this premises.
17 Despite the
Respondent being sent a report after the inspection, no action was taken and
the Police found the doors still locked/blocked the following weekend.
18 This raises
concerns about the safety of patrons in the event of an emergency so the matter
is referred directly to the Committee.
19 The hearing
will provide an opportunity for the Respondent to satisfy the Committee they
have made appropriate changes at the premises and staff have been trained for
emergency situations.
Signatories
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Author:
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Kevin Mechen - Alcohol, Psychoactive Substances and
Gambling Advisor
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Authoriser:
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Attachments
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Title
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Page
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⇩a
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FENZ Application for
Licence Suspension
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6
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⇩b
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Notice of Hearing
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11
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⇩c
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Section 286
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12
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