No date set on hearing for Northbeach liquor violations
Two months after officers charged Northbeach in Dewey with liquor law violations, a hearing has not been set or even considered.
In an Aug. 27 email, Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner John Cordrey said violation hearings are typically scheduled the same day protested applications are heard.
“Currently there are no Sussex County protested applications,” he wrote. “Therefore we will likely await the scheduling of one of those to schedule these charges.”
The OABCC’s next public hearing is set for Tuesday, Sept. 17, in Wilmington, when 30 violations dating from July 27, 2018 to June 13, 2019 will be heard. No protested applications are on the agenda.
On June 24, Wendy Hudson, communications director for Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said that over June 21-23, Division of Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement officers issued a criminal summons to a Northbeach bartender for violating the “last call” law.
Cordrey said criminal charges are heard by a justice of the peace or court of common pleas.
Hudson said Northbeach received a violation against its liquor license for the last call violation, and was also cited for failing to have a server/manager trained to serve alcoholic beverages, failing to have complete meals available, giving away alcohol and encouraging patrons to consume alcohol at an excessive rate.
It is unclear whether any other Sussex County businesses are currently charged with any violations. The last OABCC public hearing in Sussex was May 4, when four violations dating from Sept. 22, 2018 to March 9, 2019 and one protested application were heard.
If found in violation, Northbeach could face sanctions and penalties that range from a reprimand to a fine, suspension, or revocation of the liquor license, according to the OABCC website.
