North Vancouver bowling alley fined $7,000 for serving minor

A bowling alley in North Vancouver has been fined $7,000 for serving liquor to a minor.

King Pins Bowling Inc. has been fined by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) for serving liquor to a minor in September last year. The business, located at 1312 Lonsdale Avenue in the City of North Vancouver, is authorized to sell liquor from 9 a.m. to midnight every day of the week.

According to a Notice of Enforcement Action letter, an employee of the bowling alley sold liquor to a minor working as an agent under the Branch’s “Minors as Agents Program”. The LCBC had proposed a monetary penalty of $7000.00 or a 7-day licence suspension as an enforcement action.

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During the inspection of the premises, Liquor Inspector Paul Devine testified that two minor agents entered the facility, followed by two liquor inspectors. One of the minors ordered a can of mango seltzer, which contains 5% alcohol and was sold the liquor without being asked for ID.

The server who sold the liquor product initially gave a false name and ID to the Liquor Inspector but later revealed her real name and Serving it Right certification. The licensee had ‘no-compliance’ history, and so the minimum penalty for the contravention was recommended. The minor agents are told to dress as they would usually, and they are not told how to act when attempting to buy liquor or cannabis. They are also told they must say no if asked for ID.

The inspections are conducted randomly unless a complaint has been received. The inspection occurred because the branch knew the bowling alley was selling liquor to young people. The bowling alley made no submissions on whether it preferred a licence suspension or a monetary penalty, so a fine of $ 7,000 was considered appropriate by the inspector.

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