Lewisham Hotel issued short term closure order over ‘intoxication’, ‘public safety’ risks

The licensee of a popular Parramatta Rd pub says she is fighting to keep the doors open after coming under scrutiny from NSW Police and the state’s liquor and gaming watchdog.

A photo of the Parramatta Rd pub.

The licensee of a Sydney pub has accused police of “harassing” the venue after a live music event was shut down by the state’s liquor watchdog over public safety and “intoxication” concerns.

The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority imposed a 14-hour closure order on the Lewisham Hotel on January 21, forcing the cancellation of a Pacific Island themed music event due to be headlined by DJ Ronnie Snipes on the night.

The shutdown order was based on a NSW Police application that raised concerns the venue may “operate in a way that exposes the public to significant threats and risks to their health and safety”.

The Parramatta Rd venue also has had its hours restricted from 3am to midnight on two further nights in the last month under orders imposed by the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority.

Police stated the hotel has demonstrated a previous “pattern of noncompliance” with additional licence conditions imposed on the venue in September last year.

Josephine Smith is the co-licensee of the venue.

Police, in its application to shut down the venue, stated the breaches included inadequate CCTV coverage of the venue and an insufficient number of security guards employed at the hotel during a ‘family night’ event in October.

A Liquor and Gaming spokeswoman said the hotel’s “previous breaches of licence conditions caused concerns for public health and safety”.

The spokeswoman said the hotel also lacked “sufficient risk-based measures to prevent intoxication and disorderly behaviour.”

The pub challenged the short-term closure order, claiming the venue was meeting its licensing conditions and that the police request to shut down the venue amounted to “vexatious, bullying, and harassing behaviour”.

The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority found there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the pub’s claim.

A photo of the pub.

Josephine Smith, the co-licensee of the venue, said she was now in mediation with police to address the issues raised. She said the closure of the pub was estimated to have cost the business about $20,000 in lost trade.

“I’ve been in the industry for 30 years and this is the first time I’ve ever been ordered to shut down,” she said.

“Last year we had special conditions put on our licence and we’ve tried to mitigate all the issues raised and get along with police.

The venue has come under scrutiny from NSW Police.

“The conditions are extreme – we’ve had to upgrade all our CCTV cameras from 12 frames per minute to 15 because we were told the video wasn’t high quality enough, and on top of our normal security guard presence we need to have one additional guard per 100 patrons plus four guards patrolling the surrounding streets.

“The amount of police manpower committed to the venue has been unreal and it’s become harassment to the point where people don’t want to come to our venue anymore because of the uncertainty of when it’s open or when it’s closing early.

“We’re heading to financial ruin and it’s becoming a battle to stay open”.

NSW Police declined to provide further comment about its concerns with the venue, or respond to claims it was “harassing the venue”.

Liquor & Gaming NSW, in a statement, said it was continuing to work with NSW Police and the hotel “to ensure risks of intoxication and disorderly behaviour are being managed properly.”

Stewart Levitt, a lawyer acting for the hotel, said the venue was considering lodging a complaint with the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board.

“We had a meeting with police two weeks ago and we said it was unfortunate the venue is being targeted because it was a gathering place and social and cultural watering hole for the Indigenous and other communities in Sydney,” he said.

“The amount of policing the publican is required to undertake on the street (as part of the licensing conditions) given it’s on Parramatta Rd is in my view an impost on any private operator and excessive.”