The owner of a bar near Dawson Road says he’s devastated to hear that he’s accused of permitting drunkenness and allowing impaired drivers to leave his property.
The Registrar of the Alcohol Gaming and Commission of Ontario immediately suspended the liquor licence of the Dragon's Den Sports Bar and Grill on Saturday. The Registrar expressed concerns about the number of drunk and impaired drivers leaving the bar and the level of drunkenness on the premises.
Besides the suspension, the registrar also put in a proposal to revoke the liquor licence.
Michael Komar, the owner of the bar, said the allegation took him by surprise. He had to close the bar temporarily while his lawyer talked with the registrar to learn more about what was going on.
"I’m pretty devastated by it," Komar said on Monday. "We were taken by surprise. All we’ve been told so far is that we’re under review. That’s about all we know."
He said he’s never had this problem before and would appeal for a hearing. Komar has 15 days from the day the suspension started to submit an appeal.
Lisa Murray, spokeswoman for the Alcohol Gaming and Commission of Ontario, said within the past week, Thunder Bay police stopped three impaired drivers that were leaving the bar. On other occasions, police discovered that bar employees still served patrons despite appearing drunk, she said.
"Because of that, the registrar has reason to believe that the licensee has failed to properly monitor the conditions of his patrons," Murray said. "It is in the public’s interest that serious public safety issue must be addressed."
