Source: Radio New Zealand
The Dunedin bar DropKicks on Great King Street. RNZ / Tess Brunton
A Dunedin bar owner has surrendered liquor licences for two venues after a drunk patron was locked in at the end of the night.
The 3 April lock-in at DropKicks on Great King Street led to a district licensing committee hearing to determine if operator Femme Enterprises Limited, which was owned by Rebecca Ellis, was fit to hold a liquor licence.
The business had been granted a temporary authority to sell alcohol in February.
A committee report said the patron, who was in a toilet stall, was locked in after staff failed to properly check the venue before they left.
The person was found “extremely intoxicated” and taken to hospital after they called friends for help, who alerted police.
At the start of the hearing on 5 May, Ellis voluntarily gave up temporary authority for DropKicks and another bar Errick’s on Crawford Street.
A meeting minute released on Monday showed the committee paused proceedings to explain that new operators could still get temporary authorities, giving Ellis a chance to reconsider her decision, but she said it was the “right thing to do”.
In a post on social media last week, DropKicks apologised to customers and people who had upcoming bookings.
“Thanks to everyone who has come and enjoyed DropKicks as much as we do,” the post said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand