But the city’s chief licensing inspector says this “ultimatum or leverage” is all the more reason not to grant the licences.
On-licence and off-licence applications for the St Kilda Tavern were heard by Dunedin’s district licensing committee on Thursday before a packed public gallery.
The applications by JV Bars Ltd were opposed by police, the medical officer of heath delegate and the chief licensing inspector.
Police questioned the suitability of the applicant as a 50% shareholder in the company, Jaspal Singh, had “failed to disclose convictions and previous involvement with the police”, a report to the committee said.
A non-publication order prevents the Otago Daily Times from reporting on the details of the convictions.
Mr Singh — who spoke at the hearing via audiovisual link — said he heard his past convictions had caused “problems” for the issuing of the licences.
“On that thing, I’m agreeing to transfer my shares in JV Bars if the licence will be granted.”
He told the committee he would not have any further involvement in the company or the tavern.
He would try to transfer his shares “as quick as possible” once the licences were granted, he said, but later added he would be happy to sell them beforehand.
Chief licensing inspector Tanya Morrison suggested the committee not indulge this apparent “negotiation tactic” and said it spoke to the applicant’s suitability.
“If you realise that perhaps you are not a suitable person to hold an alcohol licence, perhaps remove yourself from the company sooner rather than later and not provide some sort of an ultimatum or leverage to suggest you will do it only if a licence is granted.”
The applications should be assessed as they were “here and now”, and the committee could not place much weight, if any, on what might happen if JV Bars got a licence, Ms Morrison said.
“In fact, I believe this is all the more reason not to grant the licence.”
The conduct of the premises was compliant to date, on the basis of “a very quick and brief, bare basics check”, she said.
JV Bars’ sole director, Vishav Singh, said he had hired a consultant whom he was “fully prepared” to have perform audits at the premises, at the company’s expense.
He also worked with this consultant to develop a staff training system.
Medical officer of health delegate Aaron Whipp said he was happy with the training systems, but they were “too much too late”.
He had seen “a massive improvement” in the applicant’s knowledge of alcohol laws and was “more relieved” about the operations.
Counsel for JV Bars Kate Logan said the hiring of a consultant should give the committee “sufficient comfort” that appropriate systems and processes were in place.
Two previous operators had run the St Kilda Tavern in fairly quick succession and care must be taken to ensure JV Bars’ applications were determined on their own merits “rather than coloured by those previous applications”, Ms Logan said.
The hearing was adjourned and is expected to be reconvened next week.
