Camden Hotel ordered to shut

Camden Hotel has been ordered to shut for two days from today for serving up to 20 beers to three boys aged under 18 who got involved in a brawl after leaving the venue.

Camden Hotel has been ordered to shut for two days. Picture: Angelo Velardo

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Camden Hotel has been suspended from trading until Wednesday, after serving a trio of minors up to 20 beers across a four and a haf hour period.

The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) handed down the penalty, in effect from today, following the incident in November 2017.

Camden Hotel has been suspended from trading until Wednesday, after serving a trio of minors. Picture: Angelo Velardo

The forced shutdown follows the venue being listed on the NSW Government’s violent venues list late last year, after 12 violent incidents in the space of a year.

Three male minors, aged 16 and 17, entered the venue by using other people’s ID, despite the photo ID’s being checked at entry.

The minors were served up to seven times across a four and a half hour period, and were not asked for ID once.

One boy also lost money on a gaming machine.

The minors were arrested by police on leaving the venue, after they were involved in a brawl which required capsicum spray to be broken up.

The male minors, aged 16 and 17, were served at the bar up to seven times.

The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority has also proposed to impose extra conditions on the hotel’s licence which include submitting a plan of management, extra responsible service of alcohol (RSA) training for all staff and specific requirements for keeping CCTV footage.

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Liquor and Gaming NSW Director of Compliance Operations Sean Goodchild said this incident showed the risks involved when minors gain access to licensed premises to drink.

“The sale of alcohol to minors greatly increases the risk of alcohol related harm occurring due to a minor’s inherent vulnerability and lack of both physical and psychological maturity — and in this case it resulted in three minors being involved in the brawl,” he said.

“Had it not been for the timely intervention by police, the young people involved in the brawl may have sustained serious injuries or worse.

“The lost revenue from the licence suspension should send a clear message to the industry that venues can face serious sanctions for selling alcohol to minors.”

A Camden Hotel spokesman declined to comment.