North Vancouver’s Bravo Cucina Ristorante Italiano has been dinged with a $7,000-fine after selling alcohol to a minor who was working undercover for the B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
The incident happened on March 30, according to the written decision published this week.
Under the “minors as agents” sting, the branch sent a 17- and 18-year-old into the Central Lonsdale restaurant. An inspector who was seated a nearby table watched as a server, who was also a manager, delivered a bottle of Kokanee beer to one of the teens without checking their ID first, the ruling states.
“Penalty action was recommended for the contravention because of the dilatory physical effect of liquor on minors, including causing anti-social behaviour such as engaging in criminal conduct,” the ruling states.
"Since the incident, the restaurant has stepped up procedures to ensure that minors aren’t ever served but at the time there was insufficient training or other systems in place,” the decision notes.
“The reliance on whether a patron has grey hair or wrinkles to make a decision about asking for ID was insufficient for this purpose,” the ruling states. “More training on ID requirements was needed.”
Under the law, first-time offences can result in a monetary penalty of $7,000 to $11,000 or a seven-to-11 day licence suspension.
The restaurant has had no prior contraventions, the decision notes, and the owner opted for the fine.
According to the ruling, there were 10 undercover inspections carried out on the same day, three of which found staff serving booze to minors without having checked ID first.
The branch has been using minors to test establishments’ compliance with liquor regulations since 2011.
Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
