JAKK Tuesdays Sports Bar in Kingston will have its liquor licence suspension extended, the Alcohol and Gaming Comission said Wednesday.
It’s another setback for the owners of the Kingston sports bar, whose owner, Kelly Hale, has been openly bucking Ontario’s COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols since September.
In October, the bar had its liquor licence suspended by the AGCO for not complying with Reopening Ontario Act protocols, like enforcing masks, but Hale appealed that decision, which was due to expire Wednesday.
The appeal hearing began Tuesday but did not finish. With things still up in the air for that process, the AGCO has extended the suspension until the hearing concludes.
During Tuesday’s deliberations, the lawyer for the commissioner recommended that JAKK’s liquor licence be suspended permanently, since Hale said that he would not be following COVID-19 guidelines if the licence was reinstated.
Hale, represented by a local paralegal, argued at first that bylaw searched his restaurant illegally, but rescinded that argument. Hale’s main argument is that he disagrees with COVID-19 regulations and feels they are more harmful than helpful.
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