Teasers gets its permit back
By Gary Popp
Published in News on November 29, 2011 1:46 PM
Following a nearly two-week ban, Teasers of Goldsboro has been reissued its permit to sell alcoholic beverages to its customers.
Under pressure from local law enforcement agencies, the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission suspended the permits held by the club, located on U.S. 117 South, on Nov. 10.
Officers from the Goldsboro Police Department and agents from the state Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement petitioned the ABC Commission to pull the night club's alcohol permits, claiming the establishment had become overrun with violence and illegal drug use.
The petitions stated that the severity and frequency of calls made to the club were a drain on the police's manpower during early morning shifts.
Anne Hollowell, of the state's Office of Administrative Hearings, issued the order on Nov. 23 lifting the suspension of the ABC permits held by Teasers and its proprietor Jack Thomas.
Outlined in the order are a number of conditions that Thomas and his employees must meet until a hearing can be held or another order is issued by the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Under the new rules placed on the club, no one is allowed to enter after 1:30 a.m. and the staff must take all reasonable actions to make sure that all patrons are off the premises, or are in the act of leaving, by 2:30 a.m.
Thomas must also have his employees continuously monitor the parking lot from 9 p.m. until all patrons have left the premises, as well as increase the lighting in the parking lot with reasonable promptness. The hope is that these steps will curtail problems with loitering and drug and alcohol use in the parking lot.
Teasers must also employ a sufficient security staff, according to Hollowell's conditions, "to promptly come to the aid of any patron, inside or in the parking lot, who appears to be or is in danger from any assault or aggressive behavior."
Additionally, patrons will not be allowed to carry a weapon into the club or parking lot, and a metal detector must be placed at the club's entrance, and any person found to be in possession of a weapon should be directed to leave the premises.
Ms. Hollowell's order also instructed Teasers employees to contact the local law enforcement when assistance is needed to remove patrons from the night club's property.
A hearing on the case could be heard as soon as Friday in the Office of Administrative Hearings.