Liquor & Gaming NSW will fine the Golden Sheaf Hotel $5,500 for breaching the COVID-19 public health orders after a group of around 250 customers did not adhere to social distancing outside the pub on Wednesday night.
The image of the pubgoers was photographed by members of the public and reported to police, who attended and dispersed the crowd.
Dimitri Argeres, Acting Director of Compliance for Liquor & Gaming, said inspectors visited the venue the next day to investigate the breaches and reviewed CCTV footage of the incident.
“We have also relied on evidence from police in our investigation as well as prior interactions with the business,” Mr Argeres said.
“This is the third time we’ve inspected this premises. The first time we identified issues, which were resolved before our second visit, however the situation on Wednesday night posed a serious risk to public health and an improvement notice was not appropriate.”
“We need to send a clear message to this business and others that if you are not doing the right thing you will be held to account and we will escalate our enforcement actions for those who put the public at risk.
“We want businesses to stay open and continue to trade and while we all need to accept that operating a business is a different prospect now, in all circumstances it must be conducted responsibly to protect the public from the risk of COVID 19 infections.
“It’s up to all of us to take steps to keep each other safe – and in this context that means actually stepping away from others to create physical distance.”
With the relaxing of restrictions on businesses, Liquor & Gaming inspectors are requiring all licensed venues to prepare and implement their COVID-19 Safety Plans and urging them to register their businesses as COVID safe.
“The potential for community transmission has increased, so establish your plan, implement the plan, and register as COVID safe.”
