Talk about putting a little English on the cue ball.That’s because a popular Irish pub in Vancouver will be forced to close for three days this summer for the unforgivable crime of allowing patrons to play pool and darts.Johnnie Fox’s, which bills itself as Rain City’s “finest” Guinness Pub, was cited by the British Columbia Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) for not having the proper licence to allow popular pub games on its premises as per BC law..The kerfuffle unfolded last October when a visit by three liquor inspectors saw patrons playing billiards on one of two pool tables on site. They determined Fox’s was allowing “unauthorized patron participation entertainment” contrary to the terms of its liquor licence.According to LCRB delegate Nerys Poole, who handed down her ruling after a hearing on Monday, June 3: “The liquor inspectors looked up the floor plan on their phones and confirmed that the pool tables were located in the food primary licensed area,” Poole said. “They also checked the food primary licence for the restaurant to see if the licensee had a patron participation endorsement, which they did not.”A complicating factor was that Fox’s had previously been citied and fined $1,000 in 2020 for a similar offence and warned in 2023 to either amend the terms of its licence or remove the tables altogether.Since then, staff were constantly forced to inform patrons that its licence did not permit use of the pool tables, although the pub claimed it wasn’t aware that people were playing the tables — prompting Poole to rule there was a “failure by management” to provide necessary staff training..“The $1,000 monetary penalty for the first contravention did not result in compliance. Therefore, the imposition of a three-day suspension for this contravention is justified.”BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch ruling."The licensee had 14 months after the previous contravention to do more to ensure the licensee was not violating the term and condition of its licence," Poole said, adding “the licensee could have removed the balls and blocked the mechanism for the release of the balls by disabling it,” she said.“The $1,000 monetary penalty for the first contravention did not result in compliance,” Poole said. “Therefore, the imposition of a three-day suspension for this contravention is justified.”Consequently, the pub was ordered closed for three days as of the close of business at midnight July 4, for the US Independence Day long weekend — which ironically, sees an influx of American tourists.
Talk about putting a little English on the cue ball.That’s because a popular Irish pub in Vancouver will be forced to close for three days this summer for the unforgivable crime of allowing patrons to play pool and darts.Johnnie Fox’s, which bills itself as Rain City’s “finest” Guinness Pub, was cited by the British Columbia Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) for not having the proper licence to allow popular pub games on its premises as per BC law..The kerfuffle unfolded last October when a visit by three liquor inspectors saw patrons playing billiards on one of two pool tables on site. They determined Fox’s was allowing “unauthorized patron participation entertainment” contrary to the terms of its liquor licence.According to LCRB delegate Nerys Poole, who handed down her ruling after a hearing on Monday, June 3: “The liquor inspectors looked up the floor plan on their phones and confirmed that the pool tables were located in the food primary licensed area,” Poole said. “They also checked the food primary licence for the restaurant to see if the licensee had a patron participation endorsement, which they did not.”A complicating factor was that Fox’s had previously been citied and fined $1,000 in 2020 for a similar offence and warned in 2023 to either amend the terms of its licence or remove the tables altogether.Since then, staff were constantly forced to inform patrons that its licence did not permit use of the pool tables, although the pub claimed it wasn’t aware that people were playing the tables — prompting Poole to rule there was a “failure by management” to provide necessary staff training..“The $1,000 monetary penalty for the first contravention did not result in compliance. Therefore, the imposition of a three-day suspension for this contravention is justified.”BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch ruling."The licensee had 14 months after the previous contravention to do more to ensure the licensee was not violating the term and condition of its licence," Poole said, adding “the licensee could have removed the balls and blocked the mechanism for the release of the balls by disabling it,” she said.“The $1,000 monetary penalty for the first contravention did not result in compliance,” Poole said. “Therefore, the imposition of a three-day suspension for this contravention is justified.”Consequently, the pub was ordered closed for three days as of the close of business at midnight July 4, for the US Independence Day long weekend — which ironically, sees an influx of American tourists.
