Church Pursues Objection to New Liquor Licence

On Friday 21st January, to the Liquor Licensing Board [LLB], the Pastor of St Paul’s AME Church was allowed to pursue his church’s objection to the grant of an ‘A’ class Liquor Licence to the owners/operators of the “Intermezzo” café that is planned to open in the new ‘Hodgson’ building on Court Street.

This building is 30 yards away from St Paul’s church, right next to the Presbyterian church, and across from the almost unfinished ‘Lois Browne’ building that will house the Courts and a Police Station.

Mr George Swan Snr and Jnr, father and son, were applying for an ‘A’ class licence that would permit the sale of wines and spirits that could only be consumed after being carried away from the premises. They were proposing to operate this licence in support of their planned operation, a delicatessen to be known as “Intermezzo”.

Rev Lanel Guyton, pastor of St Paul’s (blue, corner Victoria and Courts Sts), was joined by fellow preachers Rev Calvin Stone of Wesley Methodist church (white church, Church St); Rev John Fraser of the Presbyterian church (pink, Church St); and Rev David Lambe of Heritage Worship Centre (white, Dundonald St). However, because of legal technicalities, Rev Guyton was recognized by the LLB as the only objector and it was accepted that he was acting on behalf of St Paul’s AME church only.

Rev Guyton’s objection had been a late objection and had earlier been allowed after it was made clear, by LLB Chairman Magistrate Archie Warner, that if the ruling went against Rev Guyton’s objections; then Rev Guyton could be ordered to bear the legal costs of the case surrounding the handling of his objection.

Holding his Ipad, Rev Guyton took the stand, took the oath, and raised his church’s four objections. These were:

1. St Paul’s is currently suffering from vagrancy on property, littering, defecation and urination, and had recently suffered two break-ins.
2. There was an absence of private parking for the proposed facility’s customers; and that this will cause traffic congestion in the area with the possibility of nuisance and vandalism.
3. The proposed business will affect the harmony and coherence of the environment.
4. That there are already many other establishments in the area that dispense alcoholic beverages.

After cross-examination by lawyer Alan Doughty who was acting for the Swans, Rev Guyton stood down and was replaced in the witness stand by Mr George Swan Jnr; who was then cross-examined by Rev Guyton.

On Rev Guyton’s cross-examination, Mr Swan, said that the sale of liquor was intended to be restricted: “…no miniatures, flasks, or half-flasks would be sold” and that in accord with the restrictions applicable to all ‘A’ licences, liquor would only be available for sale between 8:00am and 9:00pm Monday to Saturday.

Mr Swan pointed out that his plan, and submitted to the LLB, was to devote only three shelves to liquor display and sales; that he anticipated that he would be selling wine by the bottle with a probable start price of $15 per bottle; and that he was looking for customers from passing foot traffic and from workers in the new building across the street.

For the Swan’s proposed operation, Mr Doughty reminded the LLB that under the Liquor Licensing Act 1974, the only objections permitted were from persons or organizations within 300 yards of the proposed establishment; and that the grounds for an objection were limited to: Undue noise, disruption of traffic flow, accumulation of trash, and disturbance attributed to alcohol misuse.

With Mr Victor Bridgewater and Mr Ralph Yorke sitting with Chairman Archie Warner, the LLB did not decide the case on Friday. They adjourned the matter until later, when they will reconvene and hand down their decision.

#FaithAndReligion #LiquorAndCocktails #MagistratesAndSupremeCourt

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