Popular Ahuriri bar Thirsty Whale's liquor licence is to be renewed but the licensing authority has warned it may reduce the duration of the renewal if it finds the bar served alcohol to a drunk customer.
The bar's licence renewal application, together with an allegation one of its staff sold drinks to an intoxicated person, were the subject of a hearing before the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority this week.
The licence will be renewed despite police voicing concerns at the hearing this week about problems caused by the bars on Ahuriri's West Quay in general, and the Thirsty Whale in particular.
The hearing yesterday centred on a charge that bartender Rebecca Brown sold drinks to a customer who was intoxicated on February 15, a claim she and bar manager Michael Dickerson yesterday denied.
Ms Brown told the hearing she was trained to assess whether someone was intoxicated and when a group of people approached her wanting Sambuca shots on the night in question, her judgment was that they were not drunk.
Police present in the bar at the time observed the sale and took her outside to discuss the matter.
The officers believed members of the group were intoxicated while Mr Dickerson told the hearing he agreed with Ms Brown's assessment that they were not showing signs of being affected by alcohol.
The authority reserved its decision on Ms Brown's charge yesterday.
Judge John Hole said while the conditions for the renewal of the liquor licence had been agreed, the duration of the renewal could be "truncated" if the authority found the charge against Ms Brown proved.
Thirsty Whale co-owner and Napier City Councillor Keith Price said after the hearing yesterday the pub had submitted its application for a three-year renewal in November last year.
The conditions put in place for the renewal included a 2am one-way door policy, meaning no one could be admitted during the last hour the bar was open. Patrons would also not be allowed access through a side entrance.
The 2am one-way door policy had already been in place for some time following an agreement between police and all bars along the West Quay strip, Mr Price said.