The St Kilda Tavern has been able to keep operating under a revolving door of new ownership since it was sold in July 2023, through the repeated issuing of temporary liquor licences to new owners.
But this practice was halted by Dunedin’s district licensing committee, which declined an application by St Kilda Tavern (2002) Ltd to renew the pub’s base licences.
The company’s sole director, Ian Tolerton, had not run the business himself since selling it two years ago but still owned both the building and the land.
The committee heard it had been able to continue operating under temporary authorities issued to successive applicants.
A temporary authority allows a new applicant to trade on the back of an existing licence, for a period of up to three months, when a business changes ownership.
The latest blow for the tavern came after former operator Kilda Hospitality Ltd had its application for a full on-licence and off-licence declined in May, over issues including the availability of food.
The business had now been sold to JV Bars Ltd, which had been trading under a temporary authority since June.
In its decision, committee secretary Kevin Mechen said Mr Tolerton sought to renew the tavern’s underlying licences so JV Bars could continue to trade while its own application was processed.
If its application was declined, granting Mr Tolerton’s application meant he would still have licences on which “any potential new operator” could seek a temporary authority.
After considering the criteria listed under liquor laws, the committee declined to renew the licences.
It was mindful JV Bars was awaiting the outcome of its own application.
“The committee understands the application will be opposed so a hearing will need to be convened.”
Mr Tolerton’s licences were set to expire at the end of November, which would allow time for a decision to be reached on JV Bar’s application, Mr Mechen said.
At last month’s hearing, Dunedin City Council chief licensing inspector Tanya Morrison questioned why Mr Tolerton should enjoy the privilege of holding liquor licences when they would serve “no other purpose . . . than that of commercial gain”.
“So, I submit to the committee, quite simply, that enough is enough in terms of allowing this ongoing leveraging of temporary authorities to continue.
“The committee should not have any regard to commercial gain as the sole reason to renew these applications.”
Attempts to reach Mr Tolerton for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.
