The former license holder of a small regional pub has been banned from holding a liquor license for two years after a man was served 35 standard drinks in six hours.
NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) launched an investigation into the incident which took place at the now closed Gladstone Hotel in the Newcastle suburb of Stockton.
Tracey Keegan, the licensee, was barred from holding the position of liquor licensee and approved manager as a result of the investigation, has not been a close associate of a licensee for two years.
The man whose actions sparked the investigation, nicknamed ‘Little John’, was found to have consumed 22 Tooheys New schooners and a shot of liquor on March 6, 2021.
CCTV footage from the day shows Little John picking up his first drink at 11am before becoming so drunk that his friends had to carry him out by the time it was 5.30pm.
The man whose actions sparked the investigation was found to have consumed 22 Tooheys New schooners and a shot of spirits at the Gladstone Hotel in the Newcastle suburb of Stockton on March 6, 2021.
Footage showed Little John falling four times during the session until his friends had to rally to help stabilize him.
The last time he fell, he was seen stumbling and holding on to the bar for support before his friends picked him up, each picking up a limb and taking him outside before taking him to hospital.
The ILGA decision followed a disciplinary complaint from Liquor & Gaming NSW alleging bar staff continued to serve the man alcohol while he was visibly intoxicated.
The complaint added that bar staff failed to call for medical attention even though he fell repeatedly in the bar.
Liquor & Gaming NSW executive director Jane Lin said Little John was at serious risk of harm in the circumstances.
“It was caused by the licensee’s failure to ensure that alcohol was served responsibly at the hotel and that appropriate practices, procedures, training and supervision were in place to prevent intoxication,” Ms Lin said.
“In addition to breaking the law, the hotel staff’s actions placed the customer at risk of significant harm.
“As this case shows, venues that fail to adhere to responsible alcohol regulations can be caught and face significant consequences.”
The hotel’s liquor license has now been transferred to a new license holder.
The man, nicknamed Little John, was reportedly unable to stand at the end of his binge drinking session and had to be carried out of the venue by friends
The ILGA The hotel’s website states that a disciplinary matter involving the hotel was “determined” on March 20.
An ILGA spokesperson said this is not the reason why the hotel was closed.
“The independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) of NSW has not ordered the closure of the Gladstone Hotel, Stockton,” an ILGA spokeswoman told the Daily telegram.
Shortly after the incident, ILGA processed a separate noise complaint regarding the hotel.
The December 2021 complaint included statements from neighbors who provided a list of complaints about the hotel.
These include “drunkenness, littering, fights, property damage,” “threats and violence from customers,” and “visitors urinating on residents’ homes and cars.”
“The complainant alleges that additional seating in the beer garden has increased the frequency of live music, jam sessions, happy hours and events,” the report said.
ILGA dismissed the complaint, noting that the hotel had retained its liquor license for “approximately 66 years.”
“It is reasonable to expect that there will be some disruption due to the normal operation of the hotel,” the report said.