JAKK Tuesdays continues to operate even with stripped business licence

Kingston, Ont., west end sports bar JAKK Tuesdays continues to welcome customers despite losing its liquor and business licences.

Both licences were revoked for not following COVID safety guidelines.

It remains unclear what the city and public health will do next, or when.

The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health Unit confirmed that they visited JAKK Tuesdays Friday morning, following up on a health order that was given to the establishment on Nov. 3rd.

The sports pub has been issued a health order by public health and had their business license revoked by the city Wednesday for not complying with provincial mandates, including checking the vaccination status of diners and requiring that masks be worn.

Nonetheless, the restaurant remains open for business.

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The restaurant saw another busy lunch rush on Friday, with lots of people coming and going, all who say they support owner, Kelly Hale and his fight against COVID mandates.

“I think it’s great what he’s doing,” says Don, who refused to disclose his last name, one of the patrons of the bar.

“I think more people in Kingston should get together and support him because they’re trying to take our rights away, and food could be the first stop. The way everything is going in the country, you got to make a stand and I applaud him for doing it.”

Kingston city bylaw said in a statement Friday they are considering legal options to enforce its licensing bylaw, while public health says they are also considering next steps.

In an interview on Thursday, the KFL&A Medical Officer of Health laid out the two options public health can pursue once proof of non-compliance is gathered.

“It can proceed toward monetary fines or it can proceed to an application with the superior court of justice for an injunction,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza, MOH for KFL&A.

JAKK Tuesdays’ ower declined to speak with Global News.

Neither bylaw or public health would give any timeline on when stricter enforcement might happen, saying the investigation is ongoing.